Interleukin-17 and interleukin-10 in the adenoid hypertrophy children concomitant with otitis media with effusion

Purpose: Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is a prevalent cause of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children, although its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. The objective of this study is to assess the levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in children with isolated AH and those with AH in conjunction with OME. Methods: Thirty children with AH and OME who underwent adenoidectomy and tympanostomy tube placement were included in the OME group, whereas 30 children with isolated AH who underwent adenoidectomy were included in the AH group. Adenoid tissue samples were collected during surgery, and preoperative venous blood samples were acquired. Concentrations of IL-17 and IL-10 in both adenoid tissue and serum were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Levels of IL-17 (4.20 ± 1.51 ng/mL) and IL-10 (3.77 ± 1.06 ng/mL) in adenoid tissue were significantly lower in the OME group than in the AH group (5.29 ± 2.16 ng/mL and 4.80 ± 1.93 ng/mL, respectively; P < 0.05). No significant differences in serum levels of IL-17 or IL-10 were observed between the two groups (P > 0.05). ROC analysis revealed that adenoid tissue IL-17 and IL-10 exhibited higher AUC values, specificity, and sensitivity for predicting AH in combination with OME compared to their serum counterparts (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The reduced local expression of IL-17 and IL-10 in adenoid tissue is associated with the development of OME in children with AH. Targeting these cytokines may provide potential therapeutic strategies for preventing or treating AH-related OME.