Early onset otitis media: risk factors and effects on the outcome of chronic suppurative otitis media

Abstract

The onset of early otitis media (EOM), in the first few months of life has been reported to predict later chronic otitis media (CSOM), although the prevalence rates are increasing little is known about specific risk factors. In this survey we examined the hypothesis that higher risk factors is associated with the development of OM within 1 year compared to later onset and early onset otitis media (OM) has potential for negative outcome of CSOM. This is a survey of the age at onset of otorrhoea and associated risk factors in children with CSOM, in five sites spread in two sub-urban cities in two states in Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered on the informants followed by examination of the children. EOM was seen in 136/189 (70%) with CSOM, the age range was 1-150 months, mean of 59.25 (SD = 44.55). Of the 85 CSOM subjects with hearing loss, EOM accounted for 49 (57.7%) while 36 (42.4%) was later onset, On multivariate analysis (OR = 0.276, CI = 0.133-0.572, P = 0.001) revealing EOM was significant in the development of hearing loss however there was no correlation with the frequency of attack of otorrhoea (OR = 1.025, CI = 0.88-1.19, P = 0.75). Low socioeconomic status seen in 110/136 EOM (P = 0.000), allergy (P = 0.030) and number of people >10 in household (OR = 4.13, CI = 1.81-9.39, P = 0.001) constituted the significant risk for EOM compared to later onset. Bottlefeeding, adenoiditis/adenoid hypertrophy, indoor cooking and upper respiratory infection were not found to have statistical significance in early onset OM compared to later onset OM. This study found correlation between EOM and hearing loss and identified allergy, low social status and chronic exposure to overcrowding through increased number of children in the household significant risk factors for future research focus. This may help in controlling the prevalence of hearing loss accompanying CSOM.

Otoscopic and audiological findings in different populations of 5–14 year-old schoolchildren in Colombia

“…the island of Providencia in the Colombian Caribbean. These results agree in general with those reported in the literature, which show that African descended communities have in general a low prevalence of middle ear disease, especially with what has been reported in Nigeria [13,25] and in African Americans [16]. Griffith et al [16] compared groups of African-descended people and Whites in relation to alterations of the middle ear and found fewer alterations in the middle ears of Black groups in a statistically significant difference.…”

Racial/Ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in the prevalence and treatment of otitis media in children in the United States

“…37 This group also showed low socioeconomic status to be a risk factor for otitis media in a separate examination of children from two cities in Nigeria. 38 Based on these international findings, it is clear that research investigating racioethnic and socioeconomic disparities should be more thoroughly explored within the United States. More importantly, different worldwide healthcare models may contribute to varied findings related to disparities.…”

Correlation between plasma levels of radical scavengers and hearing threshold among elderly subjects with age-related hearing loss

“…The criteria for the diagnosis of medical conditions were based on simple definitions and all the subjects with medical conditions were excluded from the study [14,15]. Diabetes was taken as elevated blood glucose with the presence of either of polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia or complications or those already being treated by physicians.…”