Relationship between serous otitis media and its risk factors in primary school students in Shahrekord

Serous otitis media is one of the main causes of hearing disorder in human and its serious complication is permanent hearing loss. The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of serous otitis media in primary school students of Shahre-kord and to determine its relationship with allergy, family infancy feeding, birth weight, sinusitis, adenoid hypertrophy, gender, sex, age and the family size in these children. In this descriptive-analytical study, 1017 students (416 females and 518 males) were selected randomly and a questionnaire was filled for each one by the parents. Ear, nose and trout of each one were examined and suspected cases were referred to ENT specialist for further examinations. The prevalence of this disease was 1.5%. There was a significant relationship between the frequency of serous otitis media and allergy (p<0.05). A significant relationship was also found between this disease and largeness of adenoid, family history of allergy as well as recent ear infection. Regarding the fact that, the history of allergy, as the most important predisposing factor for serous otitis media, has been found in 80% of the cases in this study, we suggest that tympanometry should be performed as a screening test, at least in patients with a history of allergy.