Ga. Zielhuis et al., HEARING DEFICITS AT SCHOOL-AGE - THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF OTITIS-MEDIAIN INFANTS, International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 44(3), 1998, pp. 227-234
Aim: To evaluate the long-term predictive value of persistent/recurren
t otitis media with effusion (OME) in infants in relation with hearing
levels at (early) school age. Design: A case-cohort study among a pop
ulation-based sample of school-age children screened for hearing defic
its. Population and Methods: Schoolchildren (second grade, 5-6 years o
f age) in the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands, who failed the hearing
screening test and a sample of children invited for this screening. H
istory of otitis media (serosa and acute) was assessed using three sou
rces of information: a self-completion questionnaire mailed to the par
ents; medical records of otolaryngology visits; data from the (Ewing)
hearing screening test at 9 months of age. Results: Children who faile
d the primary Ewing test and children with recurrent and or persistent
OME in the first 2 years of life showed an increased risk of failing
school audiometry compared to children without such an OME history (OR
= 1.6 and 2.3, respectively). In a logistic model, the results of the
primary Ewing test and the frequency of acute otitis media, proved to
be moderately predictive for the screening test result at school age.
Conclusion: OME in infants is a prognostic factor for hearing perform
ance in the early school years. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
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