Abstract
Inflammatory mediators retained in middle ear effusion (MEE) during otitis media are important in influencing the clinical outcome of this disease. Interleukins, important immunomodulatory proteins, undoubtedly influence this inflammatory response. In our present study we analyzed 74 human middle ear effusion samples for interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Those effusions classified as purulent (POM) contained the highest levels, while those classified as serous (SOM) had the lowest. A statistically significant correlation between age and level of IL-1β was observed, namely, the younger group had higher levels of IL-1β than the older group in MOM and POM samples. The results of this study show that IL-1β is present in human middle ear effusion of otitis media and suggest that IL-1β may be an important mediator involved in the disease processes of otitis media.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 37-42 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Acta Oto-Laryngologica, Supplement |
| Issue number | 493 |
| State | Published - 1992 |