The effect of middle ear effusions from children on in vitro ciliary activity.

In an attempt to clarify the effect of middle ear effusions (MEEs) on ciliary activity, the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of nasal epithelium from normal subjects was determined following incubation in Hanks' solution containing effusions from pediatric otitis media with effusion. Both serous and mucoid types of effusions increased CBF 15 min after incubation. The mucoid type of effusion was then found to decrease CBF 6 h after incubation. Since the pH and osmotic pressure of the solution containing the effusions were within the physiological ranges for normal ciliary beating, our findings show that MEEs can influence CBF in vitro.