Analysis and presentation of data on the natural course of otitis media with effusion in children.

Methods of analysing and presenting longitudinal data on health characteristics that have a fluctuating course are by no means standard. Several possibilities are discussed and tried out on longitudinal data on Otitis Media with Effusion (OME) in Dutch children. If the purpose of a study is descriptive, a graphical presentation based on an idea from Fiellau-Nikolajsen is preferred. For estimation purposes on the other hand, hazard functions are the most suitable. Further reduction of the data does not lead to a clear view into the complex nature of the course of a disease such as OME.