Correlation analysis of serum inflammatory marker levels and the prognostic risk of secretory otitis media

Serum inflammatory marker levels in secretory otitis media

  • Junling Yang Otolaryngology Department, Beijing Friendship Hospital Pinggu Campus, Capital Medical University
  • Xiaoqing Bao Otolaryngology Department, Beijing Friendship Hospital Pinggu Campus, Capital Medical University
  • Ying Ren Otolaryngology Department, Beijing Friendship Hospital Pinggu Campus, Capital Medical University
  • Bin Wu Otolaryngology Department, Beijing Friendship Hospital Pinggu Campus, Capital Medical University
  • Jiajia Chen Department of Otolaryngology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital
  • Shuiping Ouyang Department of Otolaryngology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/jomb0-63212
Keywords: Secretory otitis media, C-reactive protein, Procalcitonin, Diagnosis of the disease, Inflammatory markers

Abstract


[Objective] To investigate how serum inflammatory marker levels vary and what clinical importance they have in patients with secretory otitis media.

[Methods] The observation group consisted of 294 patients with secretory otitis media who were admitted to our hospital between January 2024 and January 2025, and 250 volunteers who underwent physical examinations in our hospital composed the control group. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent test, the levels of serum IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, Procalcitonin, and hs-CRP were measured. The Pearson technique was used to examine the relationship between Procalcitonin and hs-CRP levels. Using logistic regression, the contributing factors of secretory otitis media were examined. The effectiveness of serum Procalcitonin and hs-CRP expression levels in the diagnosis of secretory otitis media was examined using ROC curves.

[Results] The observation group's serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, Procalcitonin, and hs-CRP were significantly greater than those of the control group (P<0.05), as did the percentage in the observation group with a history of sinusitis. There was a positive correlation between Procalcitonin and hs-CRP expression levels (r=0.374, P<0.001). A history of sinusitis and high levels of serum Procalcitonin and hs-CRP are independent risk factors for secretory otitis media (P<0.05). The relative areas under the curve (AUCs) for serum Procalcitonin and hs-CRP values and their combined diagnosis of secretory otitis media were 0.820, 0.795, and 0.894. The combined diagnosis of secretory otitis media was superior to the individual diagnosis of serum Procalcitonin and hs-CRP (Z=2.075, Z=2.935; P=0.031, 0.006).

[Conclusion] The detection of serum Procalcitonin and hs-CRP levels has reference value for the clinical diagnosis of secretory otitis media.

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Published
2026/02/06
Issue
Ahead of print
Section
Original paper

Copyright (c) 2026 Junling Yang, Xiaoqing Bao, Ying Ren, Bin Wu, Jiajia Chen, Shuiping Ouyang

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