Risk factors for recurrent acute otitis media: a real-life clinical experience

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Otolaryngology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood bacterial infection.
• Recurrent AOM (RAOM) presents a significant clinical challenge, with risk factors under ongoing investigation.
• Identifying predictive factors for RAOM is crucial for effective management in pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify clinical and endoscopic predictors of RAOM in children within a real-world otorhinolaryngologic (ORL) clinic setting.
• To investigate the association between specific patient characteristics and the recurrence of AOM.
• To provide practical insights for managing RAOM in primary care.

Main Methods:

• A consecutive cohort of 1,002 children presenting with upper airway symptoms were evaluated.
• Detailed clinical histories were collected, and nasal endoscopy was performed for each child.
• Statistical analysis was conducted to determine factors associated with RAOM.

Main Results:

• Female gender, artificial feeding, and tonsillar and adenoid hypertrophy were identified as significant risk factors for RAOM.
• These factors were found to be significantly associated with the recurrence of AOM in the studied cohort.
• Endoscopic findings and clinical data provided valuable information for predicting RAOM.

Conclusions:

• Female gender, artificial feeding, and adenoid/tonsillar hypertrophy are key predictors of RAOM in children.
• Strategies aimed at reducing adenoid and tonsil size, potentially with topical corticosteroids or glycyrrhizin, may mitigate RAOM.
• Real-world clinical data from ORL settings can yield clinically relevant information for managing pediatric RAOM.