Effect of nasal beclomethasone spray in the treatment of otitis media with effusion

BACKGROUND Antimicrobials treatment of Otitis media (OM) reduces some complications, but some of chronic complications, and specially otitis media with effusion (OME), seem to increase. Theoretically the usage of nasal corticosteroid sprays may prevent this problem by reducing the local inflammation around the eustachian tube. So, this study aimed to evaluate the role of nasal corticosteroid spray as an adjuvant for the treatment of OME. METHODS In a randomized, prospective clinical trial, 2 groups of 46 subjects who had OME were recruited. A questionnaire containing patients' characters, history, complaints, otologic examinations, and the report of tympanometries was filled for all before and after treatment. We administered a period of amoxicillin and a decongestant for both group and nasal beclomethasone spray only for case group. RESULTS Thirty five of cases (76.1%) and 22 (47.8%) of controls had an improvement in their symptoms or the quality of hearing (p = 0.005). Partial remission was the most common finding in 52.2% of the patients in the case group but for control group there was no change (p = 0.024). The higher improvement in the tympanic retraction in the case group was significant (p < 0.05). A significant better tympanometric result has showed in the treatment of left ear in the patients of the case group (p = 0.038) but not for right ear (p = 0.136). CONCLUSIONS We concluded that the administration of nasal beclomethasone spray as an adjuvant for the treatment of OME not only improved the results treatment but also increased the resolution of symptoms and the patients' quality of hearing.