Vol.97 No.6 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 97 No. 6 June 2004
Case Reports of Eosinophilic Otitis Media
Kan Kishibe, Toshihiro Nagato, Tatsuya Hayashi,
Satoshi Nonaka and Yasuaki Harabuchi
(Asahikawa Medical College)
Takurou Tosho
(Tosho ENT Clinic)
We presented 10 cases of eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) at Asahikawa Medical College Hospital and related institutions. All cases had non-atopic asthma, 8 had chronic sinusitis, 6 had nasal polyps, 5 had allergic rhinitis, and 8 had hyposmia. One case had sensorineural hearing loss. A high IgE value or a positive serum RAST score existed in 6 cases, but there was no antigen specificity. Myringotomy, corticosteroid eardrops, and anti-allergic drugs were used for primary treatments. For the cases in which primary treatments were ineffective or which had sensorineural hearing loss, we systematically administrated prednisolone. All 6 cases that were systematically given prednisolone improved in otologic findings. With hyposmia, 1 case that had primary treatment and 6 cases that were systematically given prednisolone improved hyposmia with improvement of otologic findings. In these cases that required prednisolone, there were tendencies for multifocal eosinophilic inflammation, uncontrollable asthma, or long-term morbidity of ear symptoms. In EOM, the cases that may be systematically given prednisolone are not rare. Considering the side effects of medication with prednisolone, the establishment of a safer and more effective treatment than systematic prednisolone medication is necessary.
Key words : eosinophilic otitis media, steroid, allergic rhinitis, hyposmia