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Evidence summaries

Tympanic Membrane Findings in Acute Otitis Media

Most children with acute otitis media (AOM) have purulent effusion in tympanic membrane that is bulging in approximately half of the cases. The findings are more marked with bilateral AOM. Level of evidence: "A"

Uitti et al 1 included 232 children aged 6 to 35 months diagnosed with acute otitis media (AOM) to their study. The otoscopic signs were recorded systematically.AOM was bilateral for 98 children and unilateral for 134 children. Children with bilateral AOM were more often <24 months than children with unilateral AOM (87% vs 75%; p = 0.032). The following severe otoscopic signs were observed in the bilateral and unilateral AOM group, respectively: moderate/marked bulging of tympanic membrane (63% and 40%; p = 0.001), purulent effusion (89% and 71%; p = 0.001), bulla formation (11% and 10%; p = 0.707), and hemorrhagic redness of tympanic membrane (7% and 10%; p = 0.386).

    References

    • Uitti JM, Laine MK, Tähtinen PA et al. Symptoms and otoscopic signs in bilateral and unilateral acute otitis media. Pediatrics 2013;131(2):e398-405. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords