The Prevalence of Otitis Media with Effusion among Kindergarten and Elementary School Children in Song Buk, Seoul, Korea and Risk Factors / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the most common bacterial infection and the most frequent otologic indication for antimicrobial or surgical therapy in young children. It is also the leading cause of hearing disturbance in children. There have been few reports about the prevalence rate of OME in preschool children in Seoul. So, we investigated the prevalence of OME among kindergarten and elementary children in Song Buk Gu, Seoul, Korea. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Tympanometry and pneumatic otoscopic examination were performed on 3,364 children aged 3-7 years, from March to June of 1999. RESULTS: A total of 11.74% of the subjects had unilateral or bilateral OME. The prevalence rate of OME in 3 year-old children was 30.0% and that of 7 year-old children was decreased to 8.9%. The prevalence rate in March was 18.5% and that in June decreased to 6.5%. The majority of the cases were free of subjective symptoms, but some of significant symptoms were ear fullness, otalgia, tendency to increase the TV volume and autophonia. CONCLUSION: Significant risk factors are seasonal variation, age and the history of OME. There should be more attention paid to OME in children aged 7 years and younger, because its high prevalence and less symptoms.

Role of Stem Cell Factors in Granulation Recovery on Mast Cells of Rat / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Stem cell factor (SCF) is produced by several cell types including stromal cells in the bone marrow and fibroblasts in tissues. Formation of granules in developing mast cells is similar to the recovery of granules in the degranulated mast cells. SCF plays an important role in differentiation of mast cells from the progenitor cells, and may involve recovery of granules in degranulated mast cells. This study was carried out to verify the role of SCF in recovery of granules in the degranulated cells. METHODS: Mast cells were separated from the peritoneal and pleural cavities of Wistar rats. The cells were degranulated by stimulation with compound 48/80. A group of degranulated mast cells were cultured with SCF for 40hrs. The contents of histamine in the supernatant and pellet were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The degranulated mast cells cultured with SCF had more histamine in both supernatant and pellet than in those cultured without any treatment nor stimulated with compound 48/80 for 40hours. In the cultured degranulated cells, the SCF treated cells showed more histamine contents in the pellet than in supernatant; however, the contents of these cells in the pellets were less than those cultured with SCF. CONCLUSIONS: This study may verify that stem cell factor plays an important role in the granule recovery of degranulated mast cells.