Otitis media and the mastoid cell system: a study of men born in 1913 and 1923

Within the framework of the Study of Men Born in 1913 and 1923, which is a prospective population study in Gothenburg, Sweden, a subsample consisting of 128 men 20, 30, 50, and 60 years old was investigated in order to elicit information on factors influencing the size of the mastoid cell systems, measured planimetrically from X-ray films. The mastoid cell area (MCA) closely correlated with body size, height being the best measure. Young men had larger relative MCAs (adjusted for height) than old men. Within each age group, men with small relative MCA were characterized by a lower social class, a longer history of otitis media, more tympanic membrane pathology, and more hearing loss than men with large MCA. These results support the view that in addition to genetic factors, environmental factors may exert a strong influence on the development and ultimate size of the mastoid cell systems.