Prevalence Ratio of Otitis Media with Effusion in Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

BACKGROUND: Otitis media with effusion (OME) in adults is less prevalent than in the pediatric population but still causes considerable morbidity. It has been suggested that laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) may have a role in the aetiology of adult OME. Reflux advances to the laryngopharynx and, subsequently, to other regions of the head and neck such as oral cavity, nasopharynx, nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, and even middle ear with clinical manifestations being asthma, sinusitis, and otitis media. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence ratio of otitis media with effusion in laryngopharyngeal reflux. METHODS: Observational analytic with cross sectional design. RESULT: 9 of 28 subjects experienced OME in LPR group, and 2 of 28 subjects in non-LPR group. Statistically there was significant difference between the two groups with p-value 0.02 and with 95% confidence interval range of 1.066-18.990. CONCLUSION: The prevalence ratio of otitis media with effusion in laryngopharyngeal reflux group is 4.5 times that in non-laryngopharyngeal reflux group.