RESUMEN
A high incidence of otitis media with effusion was recognized in pediatric patients with allergies, in particular asthma. This seems to be a reflection of a disease affecting the entire mucociliary system in the respiratory tract. The aim of this work was to determine the effect of bronchial asthma during and in between attacks on middle ear pressure as expressed by tympanometric changes twenty children [40 ears] who were diagnosed in pediatric department as having bronchial asthma were undergone tympanometric measurements during and in between attacks. Our results showed that 80 percent of patients showed abnormal tympanometric curves, namely types B and C curves reflecting different grades of otitis media with effusion during attacks of bronchial asthma, the majority of which were suffering from allergic rhinitis. While only 55 percent of patients showed abnormal tympanometric curves in between attacks, the majority of which were also suffering from allergic rhinitis. In conclusion there is a definite relation between bronchial asthma in children and a change of middle ear pressure towards negativity as expressed by the prevalence of types B and C curves tympanograms, especially in those who are suffering from concurrent allergic rhinitis