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Allergy is not a risk factor for recurrent acute otitis media: a real-life clinical experience
Franco Ameli1, Maria Angela Tosca2, Giorgio Ciprandi3
1Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Casa di Cura Villa Montallegro Health, Genoa, Italy.
Insights
Female sex, artificial feeding, and enlarged tonsils/adenoids predict recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) in children. Male sex and recurrent respiratory infections may offer protection against RAOM.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Otolaryngology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood bacterial infection.
- Recurrent AOM (RAOM) affects some children, with risk factors under debate.
- Identifying RAOM predictors is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify clinical and endoscopic predictors of RAOM in children.
- To provide insights for managing RAOM in primary care settings.
Main Methods:
- A real-life study involving 1,002 children (mean age 5.77 years) in an otorhinolaryngologic clinic.
- Detailed clinical history and nasal endoscopy were performed.
- Data collection focused on children with upper airway symptoms.
Main Results:
- Female sex, artificial feeding, and tonsillar/adenoid hypertrophy were associated with RAOM.
- Male sex and recurrent respiratory infections showed a protective effect against RAOM.
- Allergy was not found to be a significant factor in RAOM.
Conclusions:
- Predictive factors for RAOM were identified in a real-world clinical setting.
- This information is valuable for primary care physicians managing RAOM.
- Further research can build upon these findings for improved pediatric ear health.
Background:
Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common bacterial infection in children. Some children with AOM tend to be otitis-prone, such as to have frequent recurrence of AOM (RAOM). The possible RAOM risk factors are widely debated.
Objective:
The aim was to identify predictive factors, including clinical data and endoscopic findings, for RAOM in children.
Methods:
The current study was performed in a real-life setting, such as an otorhinolaryngologic (ORL) clinic. In this study, 1,002 children (550 males, 452 females; mean age, 5.77 ± 1.84 years), complaining upper airway symptoms, were consecutively visited. Detailed clinical history and nasal endoscopy were performed.
Results:
Throughout the ORL visit, it was possible to define some factors involved in the recurrence of AOM, including female sex, artificial feeding, tonsillar and adenoid hypertrophy, whereas male sex and recurrent respiratory infections could protect from RAOM.
Conclusion:
Allergy was not associated with RAOM. In addition, this real-life study identified some predictive factors of RAOM, thus also in a primary care setting it is possible to achieve important information that is relevant in clinical practice.
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