Ear Infection in Isolated Cleft Lip: Etiological Implications

Teresa A Ruegg; Margaret E Cooper; Elizabeth J Leslie; Matthew D Ford; George L Wehby; Frederic W.B Deleyiannis; Andrew E Czeizel; Jacqueline T Hecht; Mary L Marazita; Seth M Weinberg

doi:10.1597/15-010

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Ear Infection in Isolated Cleft Lip: Etiological Implications

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Ear Infection in Isolated Cleft Lip: Etiological Implications

Teresa A Ruegg, Margaret E Cooper, Elizabeth J Leslie, Matthew D Ford, George L Wehby, Frederic W.B Deleyiannis, Andrew E Czeizel, Jacqueline T Hecht, Mary L Marazita and Seth M Weinberg

The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal, Vol.54(2), pp.189-192

03/2017

DOI: 10.1597/15-010

PMCID: PMC4706498

PMID: 26153759

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http://doi.org/10.1597/15-010View

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Abstract

Background and hypothesis: Chronic ear infections are a common occurrence in children with orofacial clefts involving the secondary palate. Less is known about the middle ear status of individuals with isolated clefts of the lip, although several studies have reported elevated rates of ear infection in this group. The purpose of this retrospective study was to test the hypothesis that chronic ear infections occur more frequently in isolated cleft lip cases (n = 94) compared with controls (n = 183). Methods: A questionnaire was used to obtain information on history of chronic ear infection. The association between ear infection status (present/absent) and cleft lip status (cleft lip case/control) was tested using both chi-square and logistic regression. Results and conclusions: The reported occurrence of chronic ear infection was significantly greater in cleft lip cases (31%) compared with unaffected controls (11%). After adjusting for age and sex, having a cleft lip increased the odds of being positive for ear infection by a factor greater than 3 (odds ratio = 3.698; 95% confidence interval = 1.91 to 7.14). Within cleft lip cases, there was no difference in the occurrence of ear infection by defect laterality or by the type of clefting present in the family history. Although velopharyngeal insufficiency was present in 18.4% of our cleft lip sample, there was no statistical association between ear infection and abnormal speech patterns. These results may have potential implications both for the clinical management of isolated cleft lip cases and for understanding the etiology of orofacial clefting.

ear infection

cleft lip

otitis media

velopharyngeal insufficiency

Details

Title: Subtitle: Ear Infection in Isolated Cleft Lip: Etiological Implications
Creators: Teresa A Ruegg - Genetic Counseling graduate student in the Department of Human Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA at the time this research was conducted
Margaret E Cooper - Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Elizabeth J Leslie - Post-Doctoral Scholar at the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Matthew D Ford - Clinical Coordinator of the Cleft-Craniofacial Center, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
George L Wehby - Associate Professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Frederic W.B Deleyiannis - Professor and Chief of the Department of Pediatric Plastic Surgery, Professor of Otolaryngology and Director of the Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic, Children’s Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
Andrew E Czeizel - Director of the Foundation for the Community Control of Hereditary Diseases, Budapest, Hungary. He is currently retired
Jacqueline T Hecht - Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
Mary L Marazita - Professor in the Department of Oral Biology, Department of Human Genetics, the Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Director of the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Seth M Weinberg - Assistant Professor at the Center for Craniofacial and Dental Genetics, Department of Oral Biology and the Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal, Vol.54(2), pp.189-192
DOI: 10.1597/15-010
PMID: 26153759
PMCID: PMC4706498
NLM abbreviation: Cleft Palate Craniofac J
ISSN: 1055-6656
eISSN: 1545-1569
Language: English
Date published: 03/2017
Academic Unit: Preventive and Community Dentistry; Health Management and Policy; Economics; Public Policy Center (Archive)
Record Identifier: 9984064199002771

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