Eustachian tube function. Children with otitis media.

The relationship between middle ear disease and eustachian tube function was studied in 24 children with persistent otitis media with effusion and with pressure-equalization tubes in place using the pressure system of an impedance bridge. Five measurements of function were correlated with a child's age and six indexes of disease. The highest multiple correlation squared accounted for only 27% of the variability in results, indicating that knowledge of tubal function by this technique has little useful correlation with other indicators of disease.