持久性鼓室积液导致儿童重听和智力下降,在美国每年有一百万患儿因此接受鼓膜切开和鼓室插管治疗。以往应用收敛剂和抗组胺药物、切除扁桃体和增殖体,甚至鼓膜切开都几乎无济于事。作者采用双盲对照研究方法试图证实口服地塞米松对本病是否有效。在1年中观察49例(年龄自6个月至14岁,平均3.7岁),治疗指征为非化脓性中耳炎鼓室持续积液3周或确诊急性中耳炎而鼓室积液达6周的患儿,凡经鼓室插管、已在用抗生素、激素、伴有免疫缺陷性疾病或体温高于37.7℃者均不入选。将病孩随机分为二组,分别给予地塞米松和安慰剂口服,疗程二周,地塞米松组每日剂量和维持天数如下:0.15 mg/kg二天;0.075mg/kg二天;0.0375 mg/kg三天;病儿体重大于40 kg者,以后隔天1.5mg连续三次;如体重小于40kg,则改为0.75mg隔天一次,同样连续三次。治疗前后均作鼓气耳镜、电测听和 Persistent tympanic effusions cause severe hearing loss and mental retardation in children. One million children in the United States receive tympanotomy and intubation each year. In the past the use of astringents and antihistamines, removal of tonsils and proliferators, and even tympanotomy are almost ineffective. The authors used a double-blind controlled study trying to confirm whether oral dexamethasone is effective against this disease. 49 patients (aged from 6 months to 14 years old, mean age 3.7 years) were observed in one year. The treatment indications were non-suppurative otitis media, continuous effusion of the tympanic cavity for 3 weeks, or diagnosis of acute otitis media and tympanic effusion for 6 weeks Where intubation, have been using antibiotics, hormones, accompanied by immunodeficiency disease or body temperature higher than 37.7 ℃ were not selected. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, were given dexamethasone and placebo orally for two weeks, dexamethasone group daily dose and maintenance days are as follows: 0.15 mg / kg two days; 0.075 mg / kg two days; 0.0375 mg / kg three days; ill children weighing more than 40 kg who, after the next day 1.5mg three times in a row; such as weight less than 40kg, then changed to 0.75mg every other day, the same three consecutive times. Before and after treatment were used as a booster otoscope, electrical measurements and hearing