Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on otitis media with effusion

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on otitis media with effusion (OME) in children. The prevalence of OME was assessed in: 1a) May-June 2019 and 1b) January-February 2020 (before the total lockdown); 2a) May-June 2020 (immediately after the total lockdown); 3a) May-June 2022 and 3b) January-February 2023 (at least 2 years after the total lockdown). In the period immediately after the total lockdown, the prevalence of OME in pediatric patients drastically decreased, ranging from 40.6% in May-June 2019 to 2.3% in May-June 2020 (-38.3%; 95% CI, –43.8% to –32.7%). Two years later, the prevalence of OME has returned to pre-lockdown levels (38.5% in period 3a and 51.8% in period 3b). The restrictive measures adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic have incidentally had a positive impact on OME. The results of this study might suggest that interrupting day care center attendance for a brief period could be a possible alternative to medical or surgical therapies in the treatment of chronic OME in children.