Impedance screening for otitis media with effusion in Nigerian children

Tympanometry and acoustic reflex tests performed on 431 school children aged five to six years showed that eight per cent of the ears screened had type B or type C tympanograms suggestive of otitis media with effusion (1.2 per cent type B, and 6.8 per cent type C). Preliminary otoscopy revealed tympanic membrane appearances consistent with middle ear effusion in a correspondingly low proportion of ears (7.6 per cent), whilst acoustic reflex screening at 105 dB for three frequencies (0.5, 1 and 2 kHz) showed absent reflexes at one or more frequencies in 8.1 per cent of the ears. The findings indicate a relatively low prevalence of otitis media with effusion in children in Nigeria. Possible contributory factors are discussed.