Otitis media with effusion: The role of Helicobacter Pylori in its pathogenesis
Laith Khasawneh1, Adi H Khassawneh2, Khalid A Kheirallah2
1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.
Background:
Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) is the most common disease of the middle ear. Different factors play a role in its pathogenesis, such as viral and bacterial infections, allergy, morphological and functional changes of nasal passage, Eustachian Tube (ET), and cleft palate. This study aims to investigate the Helicobacter Pylori presence in middle ear effusions from patients with OME through RT-PCR and compare our results with results from other published articles.
Methods:
The study was carried out from October 2007 to February 2009, in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of SS. Annunziata Hospital, Chieti, Italy. 132 consecutive patients with OME were included in the study. Fluid in the middle ear was assessed for the presence of Helicobacter Pylori through RT-PCR.
Results:
132 consecutive patients with OME were included in the study. The patients were between ages 8 and 78 (median 50); 62 were males (47%), 70 were females (53%), and 53 patients had bilateral OME (40%). 185 samples were collected from 132 patients. Of the 185 samples taken from the ear, 21 (11.35%) were not adequate for the correct execution of the DNA extraction procedure. The remaining 167 samples, subjected to RT-PCR, did not show in any case an increase in fluorescence linked to the FAM fluorophore, thus demonstrating the complete absence of Helicobacter Pylori.
Conclusion:
Based on the results obtained, we can affirm that although a third of the cases of OME is correlated to the presence of reflux, Helicobacter Pylori does not seem to play any role in the pathophysiology of OME as it cannot be found in endo-tympanic exudate.
Insights
Helicobacter Pylori was not detected in middle ear effusions of patients with Otitis Media with Effusion (OME). This suggests H. Pylori does not contribute to OME development, despite reflux being a factor in some cases.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) is a common middle ear disease with multifactorial causes including infections and anatomical changes.
- Potential roles of various pathogens in OME pathogenesis are continually investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence of Helicobacter Pylori in middle ear effusions of OME patients using RT-PCR.
- To compare findings with existing literature on OME etiology.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 132 consecutive OME patients were enrolled between October 2007 and February 2009.
- Middle ear fluid samples were analyzed for Helicobacter Pylori DNA via RT-PCR.
Main Results:
- Of 167 adequate samples analyzed, none showed detectable Helicobacter Pylori.
- The study demonstrated a complete absence of H. Pylori in the endo-tympanic exudate of OME patients.
Conclusions:
- Helicobacter Pylori does not appear to be involved in the pathophysiology of Otitis Media with Effusion.
- While reflux is associated with OME in some cases, H. Pylori is not a contributing factor found in middle ear fluid.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Injurious Factors
In the antrum region, G cells secrete the gastrin hormone that binds to gastrin-cholecystokinin-B (CCK2) receptors on parietal and enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells in the fundic glands. Simultaneously, the vagus nerve releases acetylcholine, which binds...
01:16Treating Helicobacter pylori in Peptic Ulcers: Antimicrobial Therapy
01:24Pathophysiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Mucosal Defense Factors
01:17Gastritis-II: Pathophysiology
In acute gastritis, the gastric mucosa becomes swollen and red and undergoes superficial erosion. Superficial ulceration may lead to bleeding.
In chronic gastritis, persistent or repeated insults lead to chronic inflammatory changes and, eventually, thinning or atrophy of the gastric tissue.
Gastritis can stem from various causes, each...
01:30Peptic Ulcer Disease I: Introduction
An acute ulcer, marked by superficial erosion and minimal inflammation, swiftly resolves upon identifying and addressing the underlying cause. In contrast, a chronic ulcer persists, potentially eroding through the muscular wall and forming fibrous tissue.
Peptic ulcers can also be...
01:28Peptic Ulcer Disease II: Pathophysiology
Damaging agents such as Helicobacter pylori, gastric acid, pepsin, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can weaken the mucosal defense, allowing hydrogen ions to infiltrate back and harm epithelial cells.