Quality of Life Outcomes After Pediatric Otitis Media Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Abstract

ObjectivesSystematically review of literature characterizing health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) impact of surgery in pediatric otitis media (OM) patients, and meta‐analysis of studies using the OM‐6 questionnaire.Data SourcesPubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Scopus.Review MethodsA systematic review of literature of studies evaluating HRQoL outcomes for OM patients managed by surgery. Two investigators independently reviewed abstracts and full‐length articles. Risk of bias was assessed using the MINORS criteria and Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool.ResultsThe search yielded 1272 studies, 50 underwent full‐text review and 23 met inclusion criteria. Non‐randomized studies were of moderate to good quality, while randomized trials had a high risk of bias. Age ranged from 6 months to 15 years. Race and socioeconomic factors were inconsistently reported. There were 11 HRQoL outcome measure instruments of which four were disease‐specific. Eleven studies used OM‐6 and nine were included in the meta‐analysis. Pooled analysis of five studies showed a mean OM‐6 change of 1.79 (95% CI: 1.53–2.06; 95% PI: 0.92–2.67; I2 = 68%) 4–6 weeks after surgery; a mean change of 1.87 (95% CI: 1.15–2.58; 98%) after 6 months across two studies; and a mean change of 1.64 (1.02 to 2.27; −6.35 to 9.64; 98%) after 9–13 months across three studies.ConclusionsThere is no consistency in HRQoL instruments used to evaluate pediatric OM surgery outcomes in current literature with few RCTs. Meta‐analysis showed a clinically significant large improvement in HRQoL 4–6 weeks after tympanostomy tube placement.Level of EvidenceN/A Laryngoscope, 134:4176–4185, 2024