Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31021431›Full record

ArticleThe Laryngoscope2020

Identification of essential biofilm proteins in middle ear fluids of otitis media with effusion patients.

Christine L Barron, Louie B Kamel-Abusalha, Rishabh Sethia, Steven D Goodman, Charles A Elmaraghy, Lauren O Bakaletz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Laryngoscope, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The Efficacy of Adenoidectomy on Otitis Media with Effusion According to the Age of Child.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
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  3. Review
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  8. Panel 8: Vaccines and immunology.International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology · 2020
    Review
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Christine L BarronCenter for Microbial Pathogenesis, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0002-7248-8979
Louie B Kamel-AbusalhaCenter for Microbial Pathogenesis, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.
Rishabh SethiaCenter for Microbial Pathogenesis, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0003-0425-7682
Steven D GoodmanCenter for Microbial Pathogenesis, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.
Charles A ElmaraghyDepartment of Pediatric Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.ORCID 0000-0002-1890-2876
Lauren O BakaletzCenter for Microbial Pathogenesis, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.

Funding

Novel immunotherapeutics for the management of otitis media due to H. influenzaeR01DC011818 · NIDCD · RESEARCH INST NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSP · PI BAKALETZ, LAUREN O, GOODMAN, STEVEN D · 2011 to 2020
$5.4M
NIDCD NIH HHS R01 DC011818
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesOtitis media with effusion (OME) is a common disease of childhood that is largely asymptomatic. However, middle ear fluid can persist for months and negatively impact a child's quality of life. Many cases of OME remain chronic and require surgical intervention. Because biofilms are known to contribute to the persistence of many diseases, this study examined effusions collected from children with chronic OME for the presence of essential biofilm structural components, members of the DNABII family of bacterial DNA-binding proteins.

methodsMiddle ear effusions were recovered from 38 children with chronic OME at the time of tympanostomy tube insertion. A portion of each specimen was submitted for microbiology culture. The remaining material was assessed by immunoblot to quantitate individual DNABII proteins, integration host factor (IHF), and histone-like protein (HU).

resultsSixty-five percent of effusions (24 of 37) were culture-positive for bacterial species or yeast, whereas 35% (13 of 37) were culture-negative. IHF was detected in 95% (36 of 38) at concentrations from 2 to 481 ng/μL effusion. HU was detected in 95% (36 of 38) and quantitated from 13 to 5,264 ng/μL effusion (P ≤ 0.05 compared to IHF).

conclusionBecause DNABII proteins are essential structural components of bacterial biofilms, these data lend further support to our understanding that biofilms are present in the vast majority of chronic middle ear effusions, despite negative culture results. The presence and ubiquity of DNABII proteins in OME specimens indicated that these proteins can serve as an important clinical target for our novel DNABII-directed strategy to treat biofilm diseases such as chronic OME. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 130:806-811, 2020.

Indexed as

BiofilmsOtitis Media with EffusionAdolescentBacterial ProteinsBacterial StructuresChildChild, PreschoolExudates and TransudatesFemaleHumansInfantMaleYoung AdultBacterial Proteinschronic otitis media with effusionDNABII proteinsHUIHFpediatric otolaryngology

Identifiers

PMID31021431
PMCPMC6814449

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.