• A G Adekanye, B C Onwughalu, R B Mgbe, Anu Umana, C O Anisi, and A O Somefun.
• Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.
• Niger J Clin Pract. 2024 Apr 1; 27 (4): 435441435-441.

BackgroundPredisposing factors for otitis media with effusion are multifactorial, ranging from genetic and anatomical abnormalities to environmental factors and inflammation of the nose and adjacent structures.AimThe study determined the risk factors for otitis media with effusion (OME) among children in Calabar Municipality.MethodsThis was a descriptive, cross-sectional, community-based study including children aged 1-10 years randomly selected from government and privately owned daycares, nurseries (preschool), and primary schools. The risk factors assessed included upper respiratory tract infection, allergic rhinitis, adenoid enlargement, acute otitis media, recurrent acute otitis media parental educational level, overcrowding (four children sleeping in a room), duration of breastfeeding, cleft palate, and Down's syndrome. Allergic rhinitis was diagnosed when a child had at least two of the rhinological symptoms: nasal congestion, running nose, sneezing, itching of the eye or nose, and at least one of the following: history of allergy, family history of allergy, and positive history of asthma. The questionnaire was the research instrument used to assess the risk factors for OME. OME diagnosis was made with otoscopy and tympanometry. Data were collected and analyzed with IBM SPSS version 25, and a P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 24 daycare pupils, 141 nursery pupils, and 155 primary pupils were recruited into the study. The prevalence of otitis media with effusion was more in younger children than in older children and the relationship was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Female children were more statistically affected than male children (P = 0.007). Children with allergic rhinitis accounted for a higher proportion of those with OME than those without allergic rhinitis (26.7% vs. 11.6%), and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.007). The association between OME and upper respiratory tract infection, acute otitis media, and recurrent acute otitis media was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to identify predictors for the otitis media with effusion.ConclusionThere are many endogenous and exogenous risk factors for OME, but notable risk factors in our study were age 1-2 years, female sex, and allergic rhinitis.Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.

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