The point prevalence of otitis media with eVusion among primaryschool children in Western Sicily

The objective of this study is to identify theprevalence of otitis media with eVusion (OME) in primaryschool children and to value the possible predisposing factorsfocusing on relationship between allergy and OME inWestern Sicily. 2,097 children attending primary schoolwere screened from September 2006 to June 2007 inSciacca. Children underwent pneumatic otoscopy, skintests, tympanogram and acoustic reXex tests. Audiogramwas performed if the child had a type B or a type C tympanogram.The criteria for diagnosis of OME were:documented persistent middle ear eVusion by otoscopicexamination for a minimum of 3 months, presence of B orC tympanogram, absence of ipsilateral acoustic reXex and aconductive hearing loss greater than 25 dB at any one of thefrequencies from 250 Hz to 4 kHz. OME was identiWed in 143 children, in 61 of whom OME was unilateral and in 82of whom it was bilateral. The overall prevalence of OMEwas 6.8%, with a maximum prevalence of 12.9% between 5and 6 years of age. By increasing age, the prevalence ofOME decreased. Also, we found a higher prevalence rate ofOME in children with positive skin tests (62.9%) than thosewith negative skin tests (37.1%). The present study evidencesthe high social impact of OME, whose prevalence isdirectly correlated to age and atopy. Moreover, our Wndingsupports the literature data that climatic and environmentalfactors may also have a role in the occurrence of OME.