Objective: To analyze the role and significance of pepsin and pepsinogen in the pathogenesis of OME in children.
Method: Pediatric patients with otitis media aged 2-8 years who enrolled in our department of the hospital from May of 2012 to December of 2012 were set as experimental group (38 cases, 48 ears) which should be underwent tympanic membrane puncture/tube insertion. Meanwhile, pediatric patients waiting for cochlear implant without otitis media (10 ears), were set as control group. Middle ear lavage fluid and plasma samples from the two groups were collected and detected using enzyme-linked immune method for pepsin and pepsinogen.
Result: The concentrations of pepsin and pepsinogen in the middle ear lavage fluid of OME group [(48.8 ± 415.99) ng/ml and 676.32 ± 336.71)ng/ml] were significantly higher than those in the control group [(8.20 ± 4.59)ng/ml and (77.27 ± 50.33) ng/ml] (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, the concentration of pepsinogen in the middle ear lavage of OME patients was significantly higher than that of plasma (P < 0.01). The concentration of pepsin in the middle ear lavage fluid from the dry ear subgroup was lower than those in the serum ear and mucous ear subgroups (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference about concentrations of pepsinogen among the dry ear, serum ear and mucous ear subgroups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Pepsin and pepsinogen in the middle ear cavity of OME patients maybe originated from laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), indicating that LPR is associated with the pathogenesis of OME in children.