[The correlation studies between recurrent otitis media and adenoid hypertrophy in children]

To investigate the relationship between the immune status of adenoids and secretory otitis media (SOM).

The adenoids tissue samples of 30 cases of recurrent secretory otitis media (SOM), 17 cases of non-recurrent secretory otitis media and 20 cases of the adenoids hypertrophy without SOM were studied by immunohistochemical method.

The expression of PCNA, BCL-2, CD4+, CD8+ cells and CD4+/CD8+ in recurrent SOM tissue were 30.85 +/- 1.73, 21.27 +/- 1.25, 41.90 +/- 9.07; 20.45 +/- 7.08 and 2.10 +/- 0.17, respectively, which was remarkably higher than those of non-recurrent SOM, (25.50 +/- 1.66, 14.23 +/- 1.06, 17.40 +/- 6.85, 13.02 +/- 5.88, 1.33 +/- 0.11, respectively) and those of simple adenoid hypertrophy (25.25 +/- 1.75, 14.05 +/- 1.02, 16.30 +/- 8.21, 11.15 +/- 5.71 and 1.39 +/- 0.15, respectively) (P < 0.01); the difference of the expression of PCNA, BCL-2, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ between the latter two groups was not significant. Differences of the gender or the size were not significant (P > 0.05). In group of simple adenoid hypertrophy, PCNA in the subgroup of the age 3 to 6 was significantly higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05).

In adenoid tissues of recurrent SOM patients, the activities of T-lymphocyte subsets cells in hypertrophic status increase, the adenoids enlarge and local immunity enhances. The age and gender have nothing to do with the SOM, but low age is one of the influencing factors of adenoid hypertrophy. Therefore, adenoidectomy for recurrent SOM patients with adenoid hypertrophy should be carried out as early as possible.