Prognostic factors for otitis media with effusion in infants

To determine the prognostic factors for otitis media with effusion (OME) in 1-year-old infants, we studied 240 patients and 366 controls in a case-cohort study. On univariate analysis factors which were associated with OME were family history, older siblings, upper respiratory infections and acute otitis media (AOM). After multivariate analysis, however, only the occurrence of more than four upper respiratory infections and children with older siblings were associated with OME. Thus, upper respiratory infections and older siblings appear to be related to the development of OME.