['Childhood otitis media with effusion is a common disease and a link to allergic diseases has been suggested.', 'To investigate the association between atopic disease and otitis media with effusion diagnosed according to strict objective case definitions by age 6\xa0years.', 'We evaluated 291 children in the 6th year of life from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC) 2000 birth cohort. Otitis media with effusion was diagnosed based on tympanometric and objective evaluation. Asthma, eczema, allergic- and non-allergic rhinitis was diagnosed prospectively by pre-defined algorithms. Nasal mucosal swelling was assessed using acoustic rhinometry and nasal eosinophilia from scrapings. Analyses were performed using logistic regression and adjusted for dog, cat and smoking exposure, paternal atopy, household income, older siblings, gender and number of acute otitis media episodes.', 'Otitis media with effusion was diagnosed in 39% of the cohort and was associated with allergic rhinitis (aOR\xa0=\xa03.36, CI\xa0=\xa01.26-8.96, P\xa0=\xa00.02), but not with nasal mucosal swelling, nasal oeosinophilia, non-allergic rhinitis, asthma or eczema.'] Is allergic rhinitis associated with otitis media with effusion : a birth cohort study?