Engel J A, Anteunis L J
Canisius-Wilhelmina Ziekenhuis, afd. Keel-, Neus- en Oorheelkunde, Nijmegen.
Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1999 Apr 24;143(17):902-5.
To explore the incidence of treatment with ventilation tubes in the Netherlands in children from birth to 12 years of age in the period from 1990 to 1994.
Secondary data analysis.
Data on bilateral treatment with ventilation tubes in 1990-1994 in the Netherlands were obtained from the National Medical Register of SIG Health Care Information. Incidence rates of the treatment in children aged 0-12 years were calculated using population estimates issued by the National Department of Statistics.
Whereas from 1990 to 1992 the total number of bilateral inserted tubes increased from 39.923 to 51.615, a decrease to 48.635 was observed in 1994. The average incidence rate of treatment with ventilation tubes was 1.97% (range: 0.12%-5.08%) in children from birth to 12 years. Peak incidences were found around 2 years and 6 years of age. Prevalence rates of otitis media with effusion as found in the literature were higher, especially during infancy.
