Relationship between Effusion Bacteria and Concentrations of Immunoglobulin in Effusion Fluid in Recurrent Otitis Media with Effusion Patients / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Upper respiratory infections and host immunity against infection may be important in the pathophysiology of otitis media effusion (OME) in children with as yet undeveloped Eustachian tubes. So, we measured Ig concentrations in effusion fluid and serum, and examined their relationship with the presence of bacteria in effusion fluid, as determined by the conventional culture methods and PCR. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Middle ear effusion was collected from 61 OME patients who had undergone ventilation tube insertion. Bacteria in effusion fluid were detected by standard bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction. Middle ear fluid immunoglobulins in the OME prone group and OME non-prone group were evaluated. RESULTS: The level of IgA in the otits media prone group was significantly lower than in the otitis media non-prone group, but there was no significant difference in the level of IgG, IgM between two groups (p<0.05). Bacteria detection rate were 59% in the prone group and 50% in the non-prone group. The level of IgA in the bacterial detection group was signifi-cantly lower than that of the non-detection group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that IgA seems to be important in the protection of bacterial growth and local immunity in the middle ear and may be related to the chronicity or relapse of OME.