HLA frequency in patients with chronic secretory otitis media

It is well established that relationships exist between the frequencies of certain HLA antigens and various disease entities. In an earlier study we found a significant correlation between the frequency of HLA-A2 and HLA-A3 and recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM). Of 34 HLA antigens analysed, HLA-A2 occurred in 80.0% and HLA-A3 in only 11.1% of children with rAOM as compared to 55.9% and 27.5%, respectively, in healthy controls. In the present study we investigated the frequencies of the same 34 HLA antigens in 40 children who had been regularly controlled at our clinic for chronic secretory otitis media (SOM) for at least 6 years. HLA-A2 was found in 52.0% (21/40) and HLA-A3 in 27.5% (11/40) of these children, figures on a par with those of healthy controls. The HLA-A2 frequency was significantly lower in chronic SOM patients than in rAOM children. Some other non-significant differences were also found between these two groups. The results indicate a difference in hereditary influence on the pathogenesis of rAOM and that of chronic SOM.