Evolution of otitis media with effusion in the paediatric population of Hospital Beatriz Ângelo during COVID lockdown
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34631/sporl.1079Keywords:
Otitis media with effusion, COVID-19, Lockdown, PandemicAbstract
Objective: Description of the evolution of a paediatric population with surgical indication for Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) during the SARS- CoV-2 lockdown.
Study design: Observational retrospective study. Material and Methods: During the pandemic period, in March 2021, we reassessed 21 children proposed for bilateral transtympanic tube placement and adenoidectomy in the last quarters of 2019 and 2020. We evaluated the symptoms, otoscopy and tympanometry, comparing with the results that led to the surgical indication previously.
Results: 76% showed improvement in otoscopy and only 4.7% (n=1) showed worsening in otoscopy. Regarding the tympanogram, there was a decrease from 62% to 5% of patients with type B and an increase of type A from 0% to 81%. No patient observed had Acute Otitis Media in the previous 6 months.
Conclusions: Social confinement led to an improvement in the patients with OME, increasing the possibility of cure without the need for surgery.
References
Aldè M, Di Berardino F, Marchisio P, Cantarella G, Ambrosetti U, Consonni D. et al. Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on otitis media with effusion in children: future therapeutic implications. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 Nov;165(5):710-715. doi: 10.1177/0194599820987458.
Rosenfeld RM, Shin JJ, Schwartz SR, Coggins R, Gagnon L, Hackell JM. et al. Clinical practice guideline: otitis media with effusion (update). Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016 Feb;154(1 Suppl):S1-S41. doi: 10.1177/0194599815623467.
Poss JM, Boseley ME, Crawford JV. Pacific Northwest survey: posttympanostomy tube water precautions. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008 Feb;134(2):133-5. doi: 10.1001/archoto.2007.25.
Gelardi M, Giancaspro R, Fiore V, Fortunato F, Cassano M. COVID-19: Effects of lockdown on adenotonsillar hypertrophy and related diseases in children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Nov;138:110284. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2020.110284.
WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19. 2020. World Healh Organization. [Internet] [Accessed 2022 Jan 14] Available from: https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020
Redlberger-Fritz M, Kundi M, Aberle SW, Puchhammer-Stöckl E. Significant impact of nationwide SARS-CoV-2 lockdown measures on the circulation of other respiratory virus infections in Austria. J Clin Virol. 2021 Apr;137:104795. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2021.104795.
Torretta S, Capaccio P, Coro I, Bosis S, Pace ME, Bosi P. et al. Incidental lowering of otitis-media complaints in otitis-prone children during COVID-19 pandemic: not all evil comes to hurt. Eur J Pediatr. 2021 Feb;180(2):649-652. doi: 10.1007/s00431-020-03747-9.
Torretta S, Cantoni B, Bertolozzi G, Capaccio P, Milani GP, Pignataro L. et al. Has otitis media disappeared during COVID-19 pandemic? A fortuitus effect of domestic confinement. J Clin Med. 2021 Jun 27;10(13):2851. doi: 10.3390/jcm10132851.
Torretta S, Capaccio P, Gaffuri M, Gaini LM, Borin M, Maruca A. et al. ENT management of children with adenotonsillar disease during COVID-19 pandemic. Ready to start again? Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Nov;138:110145. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2020.110145.
Iannella G, Magliulo G, Lechien JR, Maniaci A, Perrone T, Frasconi PC. et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of otitis media with effusion in adults and children: a multicenter study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 May;279(5):2383-2389. doi: 10.1007/s00405-021-06958-4.
Angoulvant F, Ouldali N, Yang DD, Filser M, Gajdos V, Rybak A. et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: impact caused by school closure and national lockdown on pediatric visits and admissions for viral and nonviral infections - a time series analysis. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Jan 27;72(2):319-322. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa710.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Portuguese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.