Page 117 - Portuguese Journal - SPORL - Vol 61. Nº1
P. 117
Evolution of otitis media with effusion
in the paediatric population of Hospital
Beatriz Ângelo during COVID lockdown
Original Article
Authors Abstract
Objective: Description of the evolution of a
Patrícia Fernandes Lopes paediatric population with surgical indication for
Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, Portugal Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) during the SARS-
CoV-2 lockdown.
Filipa Ruas Morgado Study design: Observational retrospective study.
Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, Portugal Material and Methods: During the pandemic period,
Alberto Santos in March 2021, we reassessed 21 children proposed
Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, Portugal for bilateral transtympanic tube placement and
adenoidectomy in the last quarters of 2019 and
Carlos Macor 2020. We evaluated the symptoms, otoscopy and
Hospital Beatriz Ângelo, Portugal tympanometry, comparing with the results that
led to the surgical indication previously.
Results: 76% showed improvement in otoscopy
and only 4.7% (n=1) showed worsening in
otoscopy. Regarding the tympanogram, there was
a decrease from 62% to 5% of patients with type
B and an increase of type A from 0% to 81%. No
patient observed had Acute Otitis Media in the
previous 6 months.
Conclusions: Social confinement led to an
improvement in the patients with OME, increasing
the possibility of cure without the need for surgery.
Keywords: Otitis Media with Effusion; COVID-19;
Lockdown; Pandemic
Introduction
Chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) is
an inflammatory disease characterized by
the persistent accumulation of mucus in the
middle ear for more than 12 weeks. It is one of
the most common diseases among children
and is the main cause of conductive hypoacusis
in this age group, leading to delayed speech
development, behavior disorders, and poor
school performance. The risk factors for
1
Correspondência: this disease include age, because of the
Patrícia Fernandes Lopes horizontal position of the Eustachian tube and
andreialopes10@gmail.com
hypertrophy of the lymphoid tissue in children,
as well as prematurity, low birth weight, Down
Article received on July 27, 2022. syndrome, cleft palate and other craniofacial
Accepted for publication on November 27, 2022.
abnormalities, genetic predisposition (19q and
Volume 61 . Nº1 . March 2023 117
