Clinical predictive factors for MMPs and TIMP-2 concentration
MMP-2 and TIMP-2 level are negatively correlated to the age of the child (Figure 2). However, this difference was not significative (p= 0,08) and the ratio MMP-2 / TIMP-2 remains constant among ages. MMP and TIMP-2 rates were not influenced by the gender, or the preoperative conductive hearing loss.
The MMP-7 rate was significantly higher in children who no history of previous VT insertion (p = 0.013). This trend is not significant for MMP-2 and TIMP-2 (p=0.19).
The MMP and TIMP-2 levels were higher in the thicker, more mucous, effusions regardless of the condition of the eardrum. This difference is significant for MMP-9 and TIMP-2 (p=0.0017 and p=0.013 respectively).