Proliferating cells in secretory otitis media.

Proliferating cells in 148 mucoid middle ear effusions and corresponding blood samples of patients with secretory otitis media (SOM) were determined using the [3H]thymidine autoradiography technique. The blood specimens of SOM patients showed increased proportion of proliferating lymphocytes as compared to the control subjects. 60.1% of the effusions contained proliferating cells, but the proportion of proliferating cells depended on the viability of the cell population in the effusion. The blood specimens contained proliferating lymphocytes only, but the effusions contained proliferating lymphocytes and macrophages. The findings further suggest that SOM is an inflammatory disease involving an immune response to a specific antigen.