The Improvement Rate of Otitis Media with Effusion in Children under Gastroesophageal Reflux Therapy

Background: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is one of the most common causes of hearing impairment in children and if not treated, can result in many complications. It seems that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) plays an important role in OME. Aim: to determine the improvement rate of otitis media with effusion in children under gastroesophageal reflux therapy. Methods: The study was conducted as a retrospective study. Medical records of forty children with OME were reviewed. Some patients were treated with antibiotic and anti-reflux. The others were managed only with antibiotic. All patients were treated for 2 weeks. Two weeks after treatment complement, the response rates of patients were determined by clinical examination and tympanometry. Type A, C, and B tympanometry were interpreted as a good, moderate, and no response respectively. Pre-and post-treatment conditions were compared. Results: Overall 78 ears (40 in in the anti-reflux therapy group and 38 in the other group) were enrolled in the survey. The overall good, moderate, and no responses to medical treatment were 35.9%, 35.9%, and 28.2%, respectively. Among 40 ears in the anti-reflux therapy group, the rates of good, moderate, and no response were 50%, 37.5%, and 12.5%, respectively. These rates in 38 other ears were 21%, 34.2%, and 44.8% respectively. The differences between two groups were statistically significant (all p-value of <0.05). Conclusion: Anti-reflux therapy should be considered as an essential component of medical management in the children with OME.