Aspartate and alanine transaminases in middle ear effusions

Association of Reflux With Otitis Media in Children

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the finding of pepsin/pepsinogen in middle ear fluid of children with chronic or recurrent otitis media (OME or ROM), and to ask parents about symptoms associated with gastroesophageal reflux (GER).

METHODS: Middle ear fluid was collected from children undergoing tympanostomy tube placement. We tested this fluid for pepsin/pepsinogen using a proteolytic enzyme assay and an ELISA. Parents completed questionnaires about symptoms of GER in their children.

RESULTS: We collected 36 samples from 22 children; 16 of 22 children (73%) were positive with the proteolytic assay; 17 (77%) were positive with ELISA. Questionnaires did not show increased GER symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS: We replicated the finding of pepsin/pepsinogen in middle ear fluid of children with OME or ROM, but did not find any increase in GER symptoms. Further research is needed to establish a causative link between GER and OM.

Aminotransferases in post-mortem cochlear fluids

Aspartate and alanine aminotransferase (ASAT, ALAT) activities were measured in human post-mortem sera, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), perilymph and endolymph. Due to heart and/or liver morbidity during a terminal illness, the ASAT and ALAT serum activities were considerably increased as compared with normal and both were 20--30 times higher (p less than 0.001) than in CSF or inner ear fluids. CSF and inner ear fluids showed mutually similar values.

Middle ear specific proteins in glue ears

Two rabbits were immunized with a pool of mocoid secretion from glue ears. The ear fluids formed up to three specific protein precipitation lines with the absorbed immune serum. One of these proteins was identified as containing acid and another as containing neutral glycoproteins, the third component remained unidentified. The data bring out new evidence of the active secretory capacity of the middle ear mucosa in secretory otitis media.