ROLE OF SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE IN OTITIS-MEDIA WITH EFFUSION

The concentration of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in middle ear effusion (MEE) was measured by the electron spin resonance trapping method in order to clarify the role of SOD in otitis media with effusion (OME) i n children. The SOD levels in mucoid MEEs were significantly higher th an those in serous and purulent MEEs. There was no significant differe nce in the levels of SOD between neutrophil-dominant MEEs and mononucl ear cell-dominant MEEs, and the levels were negatively correlated with the number of neutrophils in the MEEs. Moreover, the levels were sign ificantly increased in patients having recurrence of MEE within 3 mont hs compared with patients without recurrence of MEE. Although it is kn own that SOD plays an important role in protecting the host from oxyge n radicals, the findings in this study suggest that SOD might be relat ed to the chronicity of OME.