INTRODUCTION: It remains uncertain whether passive smoking is a risk factor
(RF) for nonrecurrent acute otitis media (AOM). The aim of this study was
to evaluate whether exposure to second-hand smoke at home increased the pre
valence of an isolated single episode of nonrecurrent AOM in children.
METHODS AND MATERIAL: We performed a cross-sectional study with 192 childre
n younger than 3 years who were seen at a general pediatric clinic. A quest
ionnaire was used to quantify the exposure to cigarette smoke at home and t
o assess other RFs for AOM. The diagnosis of AOM was made by pediatricians
using otoscopy. The results of the associations were reported by prevalence
ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Multiple logistic regression was use
d to investigate the role of confounding variables among other potential RF
s and passive smoking.
RESULTS: The prevalence ratio of an isolated single episode of nonrecurrent
AOM between patients exposed and those not exposed to passive smoking was
0.82 (0.67 to 1.02). In logistic regression, any RF changed the main associ
ation significantly.
CONCLUSION: Exposure to passive smoking did not change the prevalence of an
isolated single episode of nonrecurrent AOM in children.