ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Otitis media is a frequent condition among children with high morbidity. Orofacial clefts are undoubtedly one of the most well-established risk factors for otitis media during childhood. The clinical spectrum of disease in orofacial clefting is broad according to the subtype of malformation. This study aims to correlate the occurrence of otitis media among lip and/or palate cleft children with clinical and epidemiological parameters, in particular with the subtypes of malformation diagnosed. METHODS: This is a clinical, retrospective, case-control type of study. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained from medical records of children born between 2005 and 2008 and attending a multidisciplinary center for cleft patients. RESULTS: 53% of the patients had registers of middle ear disorder during follow-up, and secretory otitis media was the most frequently diagnosed condition. Five children (1.39%) had chronic otitis media during the study period. Those patients with malformations including involvement of structures located posteriorly to the incisive foramen were more frequently diagnosed with otitis media than those with isolated pre-foramen cleft (p value < 0.001, odds ratio: 5.33). Gender and bilateral malformations did not correlate with increased occurrence of middle ear disease (p value > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Otitis media is frequent among lip and/or palate cleft children, although the grade of middle ear involvement seems to vary widely within this population. Post-foraminal malformations are clearly associated with increased incidence of otitis media, as well as with more severe diseases.
