Prevalence of otitis media with effusion among children in Xi'an, China: a randomized survey in China's mainland.

Objectives: We sought to identify the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) in urban Chinese children in Xi'an, China.

Methods: Five kindergartens and 3 primary schools were randomly selected in the urban area of Xi'an. Screening otoscopic and tympanometric examinations were performed on 2,902 children (1,491 boys and 1,411 girls) 2 to 8 years of age. Children with an abnormal tympanogram and simultaneous otomicroscopic signs of effusion were given a diagnosis of OME.

Results: The overall prevalence of OME was 4.3%. By age group, the prevalence was 14.0% in 2-year-olds, 8.3% in 3-year-olds, 5.0% in 4-year-olds, 4.9% in 5-year-olds, 2.8% in 6-year-olds, 1.7% in 7-year-olds, and 3.2% in 8-year-olds. The prevalence rate for OME was 4.7% for boys versus 3.9% for girls, and 3.0% in the right ear versus 2.7% in the left, showing no statistically significant difference between genders or between ear sides (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: The prevalence of OME in urban areas of Xi'an is not high in comparison with that of the same age group in surrounding areas.