The resolution of middle ear effusions(MEE)of children with otitis media with effusion (OME)who underwent myringotomy for the bacteriological examination was analyzed in terms of the culture results and the clinical features. The present study consisted of 193 children(258 ears), and the MEE from 77 ears(30%)were culture positive and the respiratory pathogens were detected from 44 ears(17%). Each child was then assigned to receive either a more than two-week course of antibiotics, cefaclor(CCL)or not. At one month following entry, 53(55%)out of 97 ears in CCL-treated group were effusion-free compared with 31(40%)out of 78 ears in the control group (P<0.05), In the control group, the resolution of MEE was significantly poor in the recurrent cases and the cases with pathogen positive-MEE. The presence of accompanying diseases such as adenoid vegetation, chronic sinusitis and allergy, however, was not related to the resolution of MEE. On the other hand, the cure rate of the cases with pathogen positive-MEE and recurrent cases in the CCL-treated group showed significant improvement. Furthermore, the cases accompanying adenoid vegetation and chronic sinusitis tended to become effusion-free after the antibiotic treat. ment. Therefore, the persistent bacterial infection in the middle ear and/or surrounding organs such as adenoid plays possibly an important role in the delayed recovery of OME. Antibiotics treatment could increase, to some extent, the resolution of MEE in cases with OME.
