Study of Effect of Household Parental Smoking on Development of Acute Otitis Media in Children Under 12 Years

Abstract

Background and Aim:High prevalence of acute otitis media (AOM) in children represents a combination of the factors developing eustachian tube dysfunction and higher susceptibility to upper respiratory tract infections in children. This disease is relatively prevalent in Iran and much cost is spent annually to treat it. This study investigated the effect of household parental smoking on development of AOM in children under 12 years.Methods:In this case-control study all patients under the age of 12 years with AOM referring an ENT clinic in Shahrekord, southwest Iran between April 2014 and August 2014 were enrolled by convenience sampling. This study included two groups. Group 1 (G1) was exposed to parental smoking at home and group 2 (G2) was not. For the patients, a questionnaire of demographic data such as age and gender, the disease symptoms, parents’ education level, history of respiratory diseases, allergy, surgery (adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and tympanostomy), and household smoking was filled out by a specialist through interview.Results:In this study, 250 children 1-12 years with AOM, 145 in G1 and 105 in G2, were investigated. Clinical symptoms including fever (p=0.001) and hearing loss (p=0.014) were significantly more frequent in the children of G1 than G2, and otalgia, discharge, and tinnitus were similarly frequent in the two groups (p>0.05). Also, eardrum inflammation was more frequent in G1 than G2, with no significant difference (p>0.05). AOM was reported 70.3% in G1, which was higher than 26.7% reported in G2 (p=0.001). Also, asthma, recurrent ear pain, enlargement of the tonsils, and respiratory problems were more frequent in G1 than G2 (p<0.05).Conclusions:Parental smoking was a risk factor for AOM and respiratory problems and therefore the parents are recommended to avoid smoking near children to reduce the likelihood of AOM development and exacerbation in children.

Factors Contributing to Symptom Duration and Viral Reduction in Outpatient Children With Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection

“… 6 Household smoking is also associated with otitis media in children. 22 Though otitis media is a known RSV complication, we did not find a significant association between prolonged fever and otitis media. Importantly, both household smoking and RSV infection increase the risk of otitis media.…”

Exposure to tobacco smoke prenatally and during infancy and risk of hearing impairment among children in Japan: A retrospective cohort study

“…Tobacco smoke may also interfere with cochlear function via nicotine‐induced vasoconstriction and elevated carbon monoxide levels, resulting in cochlear hypoxia and damage to outer hair cells, as has been shown in human and animal studies. Second‐hand smoke increases the risk of common respiratory infections that may cause otitis media . Although otitis media is a known risk factor for hearing loss, restricting analysis to children without a history of otitis media did not alter the results.…”

Oral prednisolone for acute otitis media in children: a pilot, pragmatic, randomised, open-label, controlled study (OPAL study)

“…This was supported by evidence showing education attainment and length of education negatively correlated with smoking behaviour [ 42 ]. Parental smoking has been identified as a strong risk factor for AOM [ 43 – 45 ]. First line antibiotics for AOM and analgesics in primary care centres in Indonesia are amoxicillin and acetaminophen [ 15 ].…”