@article{3152789,
    title = "Incidence of non-infectious `acute mastoiditis' in children",
    author = "Kontorinis, G. and Psarommatis, I. and Karabinos, C. and Iliodromiti, Z. and and Tsakanikos, M.",
    journal = "JOURNAL OF LARYNGOLOGY AND OTOLOGY",
    year = "2012",
    volume = "126",
    number = "3",
    pages = "244-248",
    publisher = "Cambridge University Press",
    issn = "0022-2151",
    doi = "10.1017/S0022215111002921",
    keywords = "Chloroma; Facial Nerve Paralysis; Histopathology; Langerhans’ Cell
Histiocytosis; Leukaemia; Mastoiditis",
    abstract = "Objective: The temporal bone may be the first involved site in cases of
systemic disease, and may even present with acute, mastoiditis-like
symptomatology. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of such
non-infectious ‘acute mastoiditis’ in children.
Materials and methods: Retrospective chart review of 73 children
admitted to a tertiary referral centre for acute mastoiditis.
Results: In 71 cases (97.3 per cent), an infectious basis was
identified. In the majority of cases (33 of 73; 45 per cent), the
responsible bacteria was Streptococcus pneumoniae. However,
histopathological studies revealed a non-infectious underlying disease
(myelocytic leukaemia or Langerhans’ cell histiocytosis) in two atypical
cases (2.7 per cent).
Conclusion: ‘Acute mastoiditis’ of non-infectious aetiology is a rare
but real threat for children, and a challenging diagnosis for
otologists. A non-infectious basis should be suspected in every
atypical, persistent or recurrent case of acute mastoiditis."
}