The Role of Vitamin D in Patients with Otitis Media with Effusion

Abstract

Objective: Vitamin D has multiple functions other than calcium metabolism. How- ever, there exists a paucity of data to explain the role of Vitamin D deficiency in patients with otitis media with effusion (OME). Material and Methods: This retrospective review of OME with 320 patients was conducted from 2014 to 2016. The case files of patients with OME were analyzed retrospectively and patients were included in the study if 25(OH)D levels were avail- able. Physician documented visit records were identified and statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS version 21 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Results: Of the initial 320 patients with OME, 67 patients had 25(OH)D levels available. 18 out of 67 patients were excluded from the study based on exclusion criteria further detailed in the study. A total of 30 boys (61.2%) and 19 girls (38.8%) were included with mean age 5.85±2.74 years. The mean 25OHVitaminD level was 16.87. 18 of 49 patients had 25OHVitaminD deficiency (Group 1). 31 patients had 25OHVita- minD level ?15 (Group 2). The mean duration of treatment was 6.83 weeks and 3.80 weeks in Group 1 and Group 2 respectively (p: 0.010). 8 of 18 patients (44.4%) in the Group 1 underwent ventilation tube insertion while 4 of 31 patients (12.9%) underwent ventilation tube insertion in the Group 2 (p: 0.018). There was no statistical significance between the subgroups address- ing to age, sex, primary symptom, history of smoking at home, type of house heating. Conclu- sion: There is a significant association between 25OHVitaminD deficiency and treatment outcomes of OME.