INTERLEUKIN-8 IN OTITIS-MEDIA WITH EFFUSION

Interleukin-8 induces chemotaxis of neutrophils, basophils and T-lymph ocytes, releases intracellular enzymes from neutrophils and histamine from basophils, and regulates the adhesion of neutrophils. In this stu dy, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, we evaluated 33 middle ear effusions (MEEs) for levels of IL-8. The mean level of IL-8 in ME Es from children with OME was 616.7 +/- 211.0 pg/mgTP, while that of a dults was 197.4 +/- 66.7 pg/mgTP. With respect to MEE types, the mean level of IL-8 in serous effusion was lower than that in two other type s of MEEs (mucoserous and serous). These results suggest that inflamma tory reaction in the middle ear cavity of children with OME is differe nt from that of adults and that the pathogenesis of OME in children ma y differ from that in adults. Determination of IL-8 concentration in M EEs may help to illuminate the pathogenesis of OME.