M Tayyar Kalcioglu1, Suela Sallavaci2, Nermin Hrncic3, Munar Beishenova4, Marina Davcheva Cakar5, Ljiljana Vlaski6, Farzona Adylova7, Igor Berezniuk8, Ulugbek Khasanov9, Cem Uzun10, Murat Erinc11, Evis Bendo2, Selma Hrncic12, Cholpon Beysheeva4, Valentina Ivanovska5, Slobodanka Lemajic-Komazec6, Shahnoza Solieva13, Volodymyr Berezniuk14, Gavkhar Khaydarova9, Selis Gulseven Guven10, A Yasemin Gunduz15, Sonil Mone16, Haris Hatibovic3, Irena Duma Vasovska5, Tamara Tesic6, Jamol Kholmatov7, Oleksandr Kovtunenko14, Gulnora Rakhimjanova9, Nizamettin Burak Avcı17, Handan Ankarali18. 1. Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: mtkalcioglu@hotmail.com. 2. University Hospital Centre "Mother Theresa", Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tirana, Albania. 3. Cantonal Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 4. The National Center of Maternity and Childhood Care, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 5. University Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Faculty, Ss.Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje, Macedonia. 6. Clinic for Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, Serbia. 7. Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. 8. Dnipropetrovsk Regional Children's Clinical Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dnipro, Ukraine. 9. Tashkent Medical Academy, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. 10. Trakya University Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Edirne, Turkey. 11. Istanbul Medeniyet University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Audiology, Istanbul, Turkey. 12. Public Health Center, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 13. National Medical Center "Shifobahsh", Department of Audiology, Dushanbe, Tajikistan. 14. Dnipropetrovsk State Medical Academy and Mechnikov Regional Clinical Hospital, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dnypro, Ukraine. 15. Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. 16. Civil Hospital of Vlora, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Albania. 17. Trakya University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Audiology, Edirne, Turkey. 18. Istanbul Medeniyet University, Medical Faculty, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Istanbul, Turkey.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to contribute to the literature about the prevalence of OME by conducting a research in a wide geography examining most of the associating factors together with a questionnaire. Additionally, possible effects of altitudes and latitudes, concordance between the otoscopic examination findings and tympanometric and acoustic reflex test results were evaluated in 4-7 years old children in the same season in different countries. METHODS: In the randomly sampled schools from different regions of different cities where people of different scoioecomonic statuses live, 4-7 year-old children were included in the study. The results of the questionnaire covering the potential factors in OME etiology were evaluated together with the results of the otoscopic examination and tympanometry findings, and also the acoustic reflex findings to direct the interpretation in cases of low amplitude - blunted peak tympanograms which can be interpreted as a "Type B" or "Type As". All the results were gathered in the same season. RESULTS: Ten centers from nine countries participated in the study. A total of 4768 children were evaluated. The frequency of OME diagnosed by otosopic examination was 22.48% (n=1072) and the diagnosis rate when otoscopic examination plus type B tympanometry were taken into account was found as 11.3% (n=539) in general population. Factors increasing the prevalence of OME were found as; mother's educational level (p=0.02), child's age (p=0.006), history of upper respiratory tract infection (p=0.001), smoking father (p=0.01), mother being a housewife or laborer (p=0.01), history of allergy (p=0.001), asthma (p=0.04), or allergy symptoms (p=0.02). No direct relationship was found between altitudes or latitudes and prevalence of OME. CONCLUSION: The important affecting factors found after analyzing all of the potential risk factors in the same model are secondhand smoke exposure, low level of mother's education, mother's occupation, positive history of URTI, and age of the child being less than 7. By paying attention to the factors that increase the prevalence of OME, putting particular emphasis on the preventable ones such as smoking, education, and fighting with allergies could decrease the prevalence of this public health issue.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to contribute to the literature about the prevalence of OME by conducting a research in a wide geography examining most of the associating factors together with a questionnaire. Additionally, possible effects of altitudes and latitudes, concordance between the otoscopic examination findings and tympanometric and acoustic reflex test results were evaluated in 4-7 years old children in the same season in different countries. METHODS: In the randomly sampled schools from different regions of different cities where people of different scoioecomonic statuses live, 4-7 year-old children were included in the study. The results of the questionnaire covering the potential factors in OME etiology were evaluated together with the results of the otoscopic examination and tympanometry findings, and also the acoustic reflex findings to direct the interpretation in cases of low amplitude - blunted peak tympanograms which can be interpreted as a "Type B" or "Type As". All the results were gathered in the same season. RESULTS: Ten centers from nine countries participated in the study. A total of 4768 children were evaluated. The frequency of OME diagnosed by otosopic examination was 22.48% (n=1072) and the diagnosis rate when otoscopic examination plus type B tympanometry were taken into account was found as 11.3% (n=539) in general population. Factors increasing the prevalence of OME were found as; mother's educational level (p=0.02), child's age (p=0.006), history of upper respiratory tract infection (p=0.001), smoking father (p=0.01), mother being a housewife or laborer (p=0.01), history of allergy (p=0.001), asthma (p=0.04), or allergy symptoms (p=0.02). No direct relationship was found between altitudes or latitudes and prevalence of OME. CONCLUSION: The important affecting factors found after analyzing all of the potential risk factors in the same model are secondhand smoke exposure, low level of mother's education, mother's occupation, positive history of URTI, and age of the child being less than 7. By paying attention to the factors that increase the prevalence of OME, putting particular emphasis on the preventable ones such as smoking, education, and fighting with allergies could decrease the prevalence of this public health issue.