Co-occurrence of otitis media with effusion and another environment-dependent disease (selected allergic conditions)

Introduction:
Otitis media eith effusion (OME) is an inflammatory condition of the middle ear that involves accumulation of sterile fluid or effusion in the tympanic cavity with the tympanic membrane intact. The pathophysiology of OME is undoubtedly multifactorial.

Aim:
To assess the co-occurrence of OME, allergic rhinitis, and asthma.

Material and methods:
The study involved a group of 18,617 subjects aged 6–7 years, 13–14 years, or 20–44 years. ECRHS and ISAAC questionnaires, validated and adopted for Polish conditions, were used in the study.

Results:
OME increases the risk of developing allergic rhinitis by nearly two-fold (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.738–2.479 in 6–7-year-olds; OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.299–1.995 in 13–14-year-olds, and OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.262–1.83 in 20–44-year-olds). Protective factors against otitis media with effusion include the number of siblings (the more children in the family, the higher the risk of chronic OM; OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.15–1.346) and consumption of dairy products rich in lactic acid bacteria.

Conclusions:
OME significantly more often co-exists with other conditions, particularly allergic rhinitis.