OBJECTIVES: Bacterial infections in the normally sterile environment of the middle ear cavity usually trigger host immune response, whereby the innate immune system plays a dominant role as the host’s first line of defense. In this study we evaluated the expression levels of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) -2, -4, -5, -9, and nucleotidebinding oligomerization domain-containing proteins (NODs) -1 and -2, all of which are related to bacterial infection in pediatric patients with otitis media with effusion (OME). METHODS: The study sample consisted of 46 pediatric patients with OME, all of whom had ventilation tubes inserted. The expression levels of TLR-2, -4, -5, -9, NOD-1 and -2 mRNA in middle ear effusion were assessed by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: All effusion fluid samples collected from patients with OME showed expression of TLR-2, -4, -5, -9, NOD-1, and -2 mRNA. However, we found no correlations among expression levels of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in relation to characteristics of exudates, presence of bacteria, or frequencies of ventilation tube insertion (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that exudates of OME patients show PRR expressions that are related to the innate immune response regardless of the characteristics of effusion fluid, presence of bacteria in exudates, or frequency of ventilation tube insertion.

Introduktion: Sekretorisk media otit (SOM) är den vanligaste öronsjukdomen och uppkommer oftast i efterförloppet till akut media otit (AOM). Om barnet får SOM leder det till hörselnedsättning som kan påverka språklig utveckling och ge beteendeproblem. Etiologin bakom SOM anses vara multifaktoriell. Barnets tryck i mellanörat kan påverkas vid flaskmatning. Allergier, bakteriella/virus infektioner och inflammationer har också betydelse för utvecklandet av SOM. Syfte: att studera frekvensen av att använda nappflaska och liggande position vid flaskmatning relaterat till sekretorisk media otit och akut media otit i samband med rörbehandling. Metod: En deskriptiv tvärsnittsstudie med kvantitativ ansats. Datainsamling skedde via enkäter som besvarades av närstående till barn 2- 5 år som genomgått rörinsättning på öronoperation. Resultat: 103 barn med närstående deltog i studien. 87% av barnen som genomgick rörinsättning använde eller hade använt nappflaska och av dessa barn låg 55% i planläge. Hereditet gällande SOM kunde skönjas. Konklusion: Studien visade hög frekvens av flaskmatning där lite mer än hälften, 55% låg i planläge men studiens begränsning kunde inte åskådligöra samband med planläge och SOM. Det är av vikt att belysa faktorer som har betydelse för utveckling av SOM för att minska behov av rörbehandling. Dessa faktorer kan sjuksköterskan informera närstående om via hälsoundervisning för att öka barn och närståendes empowerment. / Introduction: Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) is the most common ear disease and arises mostly in the end of akut media otit (AOM). If a child contracts OME, it will result in a hearing loss which can affect the verbal development and may lead to behavior difficulties. The etiology behind OME is considered to be multifactorial. A child’s middle ear pressure may be affected by bottle nursing. Furthermore, the development of OME may be caused by allergies, bacterial/virus infections and inflammations. Purpose: To study the frequency of using a feeding bottle while the child is lying down related to OME and AOM when tube insertion. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. A survey data collection was used wherein the people who were surveyed were close family to two to five year old children, who have had ear tubes inserted. Result: 103 children with their close family participated in the study. 90% of these children who went through an ear tube insertion used or had used a feeding bottle and 50% of them lied down as they were fed. The heredity regarding SOM could be picked out. Conclusion: The study showed a high frequency of bottle nursing where just over the half (55%) lied down, but the restriction of the study could however not visualize the relation between lying down and SOM. Moreover, it is important to bring up the factors that are significant for the development of SOM to decrease the need of ear tube treatment/insertion. The nurse can inform close family about these factors through health education in order to increase children and close family´s empowerment.