Prolong factor of secretory otitis media.

Abstract

Serum IgA levels in 306 patients between the ages of 3 and 14 years with secretory otitis media were measured. In only thirteen patients, the amount of serum IgA was a low level of between 28mg/dl and 77 mg/dl. We tried the insertion of ventilating tubes into such patients and the insertion of ventilating tube into 52 patients with secretory otitis media with a normal range of serum IgA level as the control group.
In the group with a low level of IgA, the tube was extruded spontaneously from the tympanic membrane from 4 to 13 months and their hearing was not improved.
In the control group, the tube was extruded spontaneously from the tympanic membrane from 9 to 20 months and this group showed remarkable improvement in their hearing. This result suggested that serum IgA was significant for prolong factor.