The Relationship Between Obesity and Otitis Media with Effusion in Children.

Introduction: Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a widespread condition affecting children globally. This study aimed to assess the relationship between obesity in pediatric populations and the risk of developing OME.

Materials and methods: This retrospective observational study was performed in 2020 at Khalili and Dastgheib hospitals, affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, Iran. The study included all children aged 2 to 15 years with a confirmed OME diagnosis. Participants in the non-OME group were chosen from children who did not have OME.

Results: A total of 148 healthy individuals were included in the non-OME group, while the OME group comprised 110 patients. Statistical analysis revealed that the mean age (p=0.040), weight (p<0.001), height (p=0.024), BMI (p=0.023), and BMI percentile (p=0.023) were significantly greater in the OME group compared to the non-OME group. Additionally, there was a higher proportion of males in the OME group (63.6%) compared to the non-OME group (44.0%), with this difference being statistically significant (p=0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that factors such as older age (p=0.023), male gender (p=0.001), and elevated BMI percentile (p=0.004) were significantly associated with the presence of OME.

Conclusion: This research indicates that there is a correlation between obesity and a heightened risk of OME.