Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2001 Jun;44(6):576-582.

Relations between the concentrations of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha and clinical features in middle ear effusion

• Park CW
• Lee SH
• Choi JS
• Jeong SW
• Park HK

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Inflammatory mediators retained in middle ear effusion are important in influencing the clinical outcome of this disease. Interleukins and tumor necrosis factor, important immunomodulatory proteins, undoubtedly influence middle ear effusion.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We analyzed 72 human middle ear effusion samples for IL-1beta and TNF-alpha and tried to elucidate the relationship between the levels of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha and clinical findings in OME patients.
RESULTS
1) IL-1beta and TNF-alpha correlated inversely (P<0.05) with age. The younger the patient, the higher the level of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in middle ear effusion by simple linear regression analysis. 2) Significantly higher mean levels (P<0.05) of IL-1beta were observed in effusion from patients who showed recurrence. 3) The level of TNF-alpha was significantly higher in men than in women. 4) Any differences of IL-1betaand TNF-alpha levels are not found depending on other clinical variables. i.e. sex, duration of disease, bilaterality, type of effusion, etc.
CONCLUSION
The results of this study show that IL-1beta and TNF-alpha are present in human middle ear effusion of otitis media and suggest that these cytokines may be important mediators involved in the disease processes of otitis media.

Keyword

otitis media with effusion; cytokines; interleukin-1; tumor necrosis factor

MeSH Terms

Cytokines
Ear, Middle*
Female
Humans
Interleukin-1
Interleukins
Linear Models
Male
Otitis Media
Otitis Media with Effusion*
Recurrence
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha*
Cytokines
Interleukin-1
Interleukins
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha