ASSOCIATION OF RECURRENT ACUTE OTITIS-MEDIA WITH NASOPHARYNX DIMENSIONS IN CHILDREN

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that the naso pharyngeal anatomy has influence in the risk of recurrent acute otitis media (AOM) attacks. We analysed the occurrence of acute otitis media in 238 healthy schoolchildren who were X-rayed for orthodontic purpos es. Six measurements reflecting the size and shape of the bony nasopha rynx were recorded from lateral cephalograms. The means for almost all the dimensions of the bony nasopharynx measured were smaller in the c hildren with two or more attacks of AOM in their history than in those with no attack or only one attack. Logistic multivariate modelling sh owed the distance from the posterior nasal spine to the sella-basion l ine to be a significant fisk factor for recurrent otitis media in girl s (difference 1.0 mm; 95 per cent confidence interval 0.1-2.0 mm; p = 0.04) and the shape of the nasopharynx (roundness) in boys (difference 1.9 mm; 95 per cent confidence interval 0. 1-4.0 mm; p = 0.01). Measu ring the nasopharyngeal bony dimensions may help to identify those chi ldren with a risk of recurrent otitis media, at whom prophylactic ther apies should be targeted.