Passive smoking and nonrecurrent acute otitis media in children

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.