Abstract: Objective This research was designed to study the role of interleukin 10(IL-10) in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion(OME) in adults. Methods The expression of IL-10 in middle ear effusion(MEE) and blood plasma were measured in 36 adults(45 ears) with OME by means of enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), as well as in 30 normal volunteers. Results The expression of IL-10 in MEEs was significantly higher than that in the plasma of OME patients(P<0.01), while the latter had no statistically significant difference with the plasma of normal volunteers(P>0.05). The expression of IL-10 in MEEs of chronic course was significantly higher than those MEEs of acute course. While the IL-10 concentration in patients' plasma was concerned, the plasma with chronic OME was higher than that in acute OME(P<0.01, P<0.05); in chronic OME, expression of IL-10 in MEEs was higher than those in plasma(P<0.01), while there was no significant difference between plasma of patients with chronic OME and normal plasma(P>0.05); The expression of IL-10 in MEEs of patients who had been treated with myringotomy or/and insertion of ventilation tube more than once were higher than those MEEs treated for the first time, respectively(P<0.05). As far as the IL-10 expression in patients' plasma was concerned, there was no significant difference between those treated more than once and those treated firstly(P>0.05). The expression of IL-10 was higher in mucoid MEEs than in serous MEEs(P<0.05). Conclusion IL-10 as an important immunoregulatory mediators, may play an important role in chronic course of OME in adults.

Key words: otitis media with effusion(OME), middle ear effusion, cell factor, interleukin 10(IL-10)