Effect of 23 valent pneumococcal polysaccharide and Haemophilus influenza conjugated vaccines on the clinical course of otitis media with effusion.

Abstract

To determine if there is any clinical effect of 23-valent pneumococcal and type B conjugate vaccine on prognosis of otitis media with effusion. All children who have middle ear effusion despite long-standing antibiotherapy with a beta lactamase stable agent were offered for tympanostomy tube insertion between February 1999 and December 2001. Patients who accepted the surgical intervention were operated under general anesthesia and a Shepard grommet-type tympanostomy tube was inserted. Those who refused the surgical intervention were vaccinated with 23-valent pneumococcal and type B conjugate vaccine. State of the middle ear effusion was evaluated at the end of the 12th month in the vaccine group and 1 month after the myringotomy site was healed in the tympanostomy tube insertion group. Twenty-six children in the vaccine group and 37 children in the tympanostomy tube insertion group proved the inclusion criteria at the end of study. Complete or partial resolution of middle ear effusion was observed in 73.1% of 26 children in the vaccine group and 59.5% of children in the tympanostomy tube insertion group. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Vaccination against and type b seems to aid resolution of middle ear effusion in children with otitis media with effusion.