Reliability of manometric eustachian tube function tests in children

Objective: To assess the reliability of manometric eustachian tube function tests in children with ventilation tubes in situ. Study Design: Repeated manometric eustachian tube function tests during one session. Setting: The study took place at a secondary referral hospital and a tertia ry referral hospital. Patients: Ninety-nine children with ventilation tubes in situ because of pe rsistent otitis media with effusion. Main Outcome Measures: Opening pressur e (Po), closing pressure (Pc), and tubal function group. Results: Analysis of Po and Pc showed a decrease with repeated measurement (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.001, respectively). The effect of repeated measuremen t on Po was more pronounced than the effect on Pc. The results of the first and second pressure equilibration tests showed 99% agreement. Conclusions: This study showed good reproducibility of the categorized resu lts of the pressure equilibration test, whereas the results of the forced-r esponse test seemed to be less reproducible and showed a downward shift wit h repeated measurement. A single measurement using wet swallowing and start ing pressures of 100 and -100 daPa and the mean of the first three measurem ents of the Po and Pc are sufficient to determine tubal function. Further s tudies are needed to determine the discriminative power of these tests in c hildren with different degrees of middle ear disease.