Cytokines in children with otitis media with effusion

We assayed 38 middle ear effusions from 23 children aged 4–13 years (mean 7) undergoing tympanostomy tube placements. All fluid was assayed for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, interleukin (IL) 1β, IL-8, and IL-10. Cytokine concentrations were measured by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Detectable levels of IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 were found in all of the effusions. TNF-α was detected in 18 of the middle ear effusions (47.4%). The mean concentration of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-10 was, respectively, 0.423 ± 1.39, 30.58 ± 68.7, 7001.9 ± 6743, and 56 ± 58.7 pg/ml. There was a strong, statistically significant correlation between the concentrations of TNF-α and IL-1β (r = 0.87, P = 0.001) and between IL-1β and IL-8 (r = 0.53, P = 0.001). There was no correlation between the concentrations of IL-10 and other cytokines examined or between tympanic membrane pathology and the concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, or IL-10. The presence of IL-10 in middle ear effusions may be one of the causes of a lack of clinical features of acute inflammation and may lead to a chronic inflammatory state. Received: 25 August 1999 / Accepted: 5 January 2000