Effect of intratympanic corticosteroid on otitis media with effusion: A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intratympanic corticosteroid (ITS) therapy compared to standard therapy alone in improving hearing and tympanometric outcomes in adults with unilateral and bilateral OME.

Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted with 56 adult patients at Taleghani Hospital, Tehran. Participants were assigned to either a control group receiving standard therapy (saline irrigation and intranasal corticosteroids) or an experimental group receiving intratympanic corticosteroid injections in addition to standard therapy. Hearing thresholds and tympanometric results were assessed at one-month, two-month, and three-month follow-ups.

Results: At one month, the ITS group demonstrated greater improvement in hearing than the control group (mean air-bone gap 16.4 dB vs 24.7 dB; p = 0.019). By two months, 43.8% of ITS-treated patients achieved a Type A tympanogram compared to 16.7% of controls (p < 0.001). At three months, 74% versus 66.7% of patients had Type A tympanograms (ITS vs control; p = 0.005), indicating a narrowing difference as the control group improved. No significant adverse effects were observed.

Conclusion: Intratympanic corticosteroid therapy is an effective treatment for OME in adults, significantly improving hearing and middle ear function compared to standard therapy alone.