Mediterr. J. Otol 2008; 4:(3)

Xylitol Containing Chewing Gums in the Management of Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion
Ozan Seymen Sezen, Hande Kaytancı, Gulizar Eraslan, Temel Coşkuner, Utku Kubilay, Sedat Aydın, Şeref Ünver
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Dr.Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul – Turkey, ozansezen@yahoo.com

Objective: To determine the efficacy of the xylitol in chewing gums in combination with the antibiotics for  treatment of the chronic otitis media with effusion.

Study design: Prospective, randomized, single blinded.

Methods: 29 patients with chronic otitis media with effusion were given xylitol or sorbitol containing chewing gums in a constant dosage with antibiotics. They were followed up monthly and at the end of 3 months, tympanometry was performed to all children whose ear condition were recorded according to otoscopic examinations and tympanograms.

Results: In the xylitol group, the middle ear pressure for the right ear before the treatment was -347,71±60,04 daPa, whereas it was decreased to -230.00±123.88 daPa (p< .01) after the treatment. In the sorbitol group the middle ear pressure for the right ear before the treatment was -351.57±80.29 daPa, and it was decreased to -321.36±62.90 daPa (p< .05) after the treatment. In the xylitol group, the middle ear pressure for the left ear before the treatment was -312.14±87.38 daPa, whereas it was decreased to -154.4±185.27 daPa (p< .05) after the treatment. In the sorbitol group the middle ear pressure decrease for the left ear after the treatment was not found statistically significant (p> .05). The patients who received xylitol containing chewing gums had more improvement in the pressure levels for the right and the left ears than those in the sorbitol group.

 Conclusion: In the treatment of chronic otitis media with effusion, the chewing gums containing xylitol have been more effective than sorbitol containing gums.