[Acute mastoiditis: an increasing entity]

Abstract

Background: Mastoiditis used to be the most common complication of acute otitis media. However, once antibiotics became widely available, it was rarely reported. Recently, this complication has become more frequent.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of acute mastoiditis in our center in the last few years and to analyze the clinical and bacteriologic characteristics of the patients with this diagnosis.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute mastoiditis from 1994-2001.

Results: One hundred patients were diagnosed with acute mastoiditis during the study period. The mean age was 2 years and 10 months (range: 2 months-13 years) and the median age was 15 months. The mean number of episodes was 12.5 cases of acute mastoiditis per year, but 52 % of the cases occurred from 1999-2001. Culture of middle ear effusions was performed in 47 patients, revealing Streptococcus pneumoniae in 17, Haemophilus influenzae in 3, and other pathogens in 10 children. Cultures were sterile in 17 patients. Three children did not respond to medical therapy and required mastoidectomy.

Conclusions: In the last few years, the incidence of acute mastoiditis in our population has increased considerably. This complication is more common in children aged less than 2 years.