Role of vitamin D in children with otitis media with effusion

Background and aim Otitis media with effusion (OME) is characterized by retention of fluid behind an intact tympanic membrane. The association of vitamin D deficiency, upper respiratory tract infections, and otitis media has been reported by several studies. Aim: The aim was to investigate the relationship between OME and vitamin D level in children. Patients and methods This study is a case–control study that was carried out at Otorhinolaryngology and Pediatric Clinics at Al-Azhar University for Girls and Al Mataria General Hospital. In this study, 40 children were included, 20 children were controls and 20 children were diagnosed with OME (cases). Patients were subjected to history, otoscopic examination, and audiological evaluation (pure-tone audiometry and tympanometry). Blood samples (5 cm) were taken from case and control groups in the laboratory to measure serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D level. Results In the case group, mean vitamin D level was 17.02 ng/ml, SD±8.49, and the median was 14.90 (8.7–35.0) ng/ml. In the control group, mean vitamin D level was 25.85 ng/ml, SD±8.94, and the median was 30.20 (9.8–36.1) ng/ml with P significance equal to 0.007. Sixteen children (80%) out of 20 children of the case group and eight children (40%) out of 20 children of the control group had an abnormal value of vitamin D. An abnormal value of vitamin D was statistically significant in children with OME than the control group with P significance equal to 0.03. Conclusion It was found that vitamin D plays an important role in OME in our children and can share in the regimen of treatment of OME when it was found abnormal. Measuring vitamin D level in the case group is necessary and must be treated if abnormal.