Correlation between Allergic Rhinitis and Otitis Media with

Effusion

Mohammad Reza Sharifian1,MD; Mahmoud Mahmoudi2,MD; *Babak

Pourmomenarabi1,MD; Mohammad Reza Keramati3,MD

Iranian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, Vol.31(4), Serial No.105, July 2019

CRITICAL APPRAISAL

General Description
1. Design : Cross sectional study
2. Subject : 37 OME children as the case group and 52 children
as the control group. These two groups were enrolled
between November 2015 – December 2016
3. Title : Interesting and straightforward
4. Authors : Clearly written constitution and there is a
correspondence address.
5. Abstract : Clear and appropriate rules.
6. Introduction : Clearly explain the background, research
objectives and the importance of research.

Level of Evidence
Level 4 (Case control studies)

P-I-C-O Analysis
1. Population :

 37 OME children (28 boys and 9 girls) as the case group who
were diagnosed by otoscopic examination or a B
tympanogram on impedance audiometry.

 Patients in the case group underwent ventilation tube insertion

 due to the longevity of effusion for more than 3 months or
because of recurrent OME or language developmental
disorders, were enrolled in the patient group between
November 2015 and December 2016.

 In addition, 52 children were selected (30 boys and 22 girls)

within the age range of 2-14 years without any history or
clinical findings of OME as the control group.
2. Intervention :
 Modified Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC)
questionnaire
 Nasal scraping for cytology evaluation by light brushing of
the middle third of the inferior turbinate with a cotton bud then
air-dried on a glass slide and stained with Giemsa's solution.
 Skin prick test
 The blood sample for analyze the serum IgE concentration and
serum eosinophil counts.
3. Comparison : No comparison.

4. Outcome : Allergic rhinitis which was known by the skin prick

test, ISAAC questionnaire, nasal cytology, IgE concentration and
serum eosinophil counts was found significantly higher among
pediatric OME

V-I-A Analysis
1. Validity :
This study was using standardized examination tools
2. Importance :
This study aims to know the correlation between allergic rhinitis and
otitis media with effusion
3. Applicability :
The research may be valuable to give some informations about
correlation between allergic rhinitis and otitis media with effusion
and also give information about allergic rhinitis was found higher in
OME patients.
Cross sectional study worksheet
Appraisal questions Yes Can’t tell No

✔
1. Did the study address a clearly focused
question / issue?
2. Is the research method (study design) ✔
appropriate for answering the research
question?
✔
3. Is the method of selection of the subjects
(employees, teams, divisions, organizations)
clearly described?
✔
4. Could the way the sample was obtained
introduce (selection) bias?
✔
5. Was the sample of subjects representative
with regard to the population to which the
findings will be referred?
✔
6. Was the sample size based on pre-study
considerations of statistical power?
✔
7. Was a satisfactory response rate achieved?
✔
8. Are the measurements (questionnaires) likely
to be valid and reliable?
✔
9. Was the statistical significance assessed?
✔
10. Are confidence intervals given for the main
results?
11. Could there be confounding factors that ✔
haven’t been accounted for?
✔
12. Can the results be applied to your
organization?