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The forced‐response test does not discriminate ears with different otitis media expressions
Author(s) -
Casselbrant Margaretha L.,
Mandel Ellen M.,
Seroky James T.,
Swarts J. Douglas,
Doyle William J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.24647
Subject(s) - otitis , audiology , medicine , eustachian tube , effusion , surgery , middle ear
Objectives/Hypothesis Test the hypothesis that the eustachian tube (ET) function measured using standard manometric test methods is different between groups of ears with tympanostomy tubes inserted for recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) and for chronic otitis media with effusion (COME). Study Design A cross‐sectional study of ET function in populations of young children with different otitis media expressions. Methods The results for forced‐response testing of ET function were compared using a general linear model between 37 ears of 26 children and 34 ears of 26 children, aged 3 and 4 years, with ventilation tubes inserted for COME and RAOM, respectively. Results There were no significant between‐group differences in either the active measure of ET opening function, dilatory efficiency, or in the passive measures reflecting the magnitude of the forces that tend to hold the ET lumen closed, the opening and closing pressures, and passive trans‐ET conductance. Conclusions The results do not support the hypothesis that ET closing forces are less in ears with RAOM when compared to ears with COME, and from the results of earlier studies, ears without disease. Both groups were characterized by a low ET opening efficiency (referenced to ears of adults with no disease history). Because both disease expressions present the same pattern of ET dysfunction, other factors are required to explain why a subset of ears with that type of dysfunction develop RAOM, as opposed to the default expression of COME. Level of Evidence 2b Laryngoscope , 124:2619–2623, 2014