Myringosclerosis incidence among children with acute otitis media in relation to the isolated pathogens

ABSTRACT

Patients with acute otitis media [AOM] or otitis media with effusion [OME] and treated with tympanostomy tube insertion can develop myringosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the incidence of myringosclerosis among children with acute otitis media in relation to the isolated aerobic and anaerobic pathogens in their ear discharge. This study as conducted on two groups of patients. Group [1] included 23 subjects of OME had been treated with tympanostomy tubes and some of them had the complication of otorrhea, and group [2] included 48 subjects with AOM with or without otorrhea. Otorrhea of discharging ears of both groups was cultured and the status of their tympanic membranes was followed regularly by otoscopic examination during follow-up duration in scheduled visits to detect the incidence rate, time of appearance and severity of myringosclerosis in relation to the type of isolated pathogens. [GI] had 6 cases [10 ears] of myringosclerosis detected at 2-3 months average duration, and [G II] had 11 cases [20 ears] of myringosclerosis detected at 1-2 months average duration. The highest number of isolated pathogens was Streptococcus pneumoniae [S.P] and Haemophilus influenzae [H.I], and they were the only pathogens accompanied the incidence of myringosclerosis with more incidence and severity in [S.P] infected ears. These findings support the inflammatory theory of development of myringosclerosis. Our study considered myringosclerosis an inflammatory condition rather than to be traumatic reaction from tympanostomy tubes insertion, where Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most liable organism can induce myringosclerosis in improper treated cases of AOM .Anaerobic organisms cannot afford the hyperoxic environment which is suggested by some researchers to be a necessary factor in the development of myringosclerosis and proper treatment of cases of AOM diminishes the chance of incidence of myringosclerosis