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Otitis media in children (acute)

Paddy O'Neill1, Tony Roberts, Clare Bradley Stevenson

  • 1Norton Medical Centre, Stockton on Tees, UK.

BMJ Clinical Evidence
|May 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Acute otitis media (AOM) in children often resolves without antibiotics. This review evaluates treatments and prevention strategies for AOM, considering effectiveness and safety to guide clinical decisions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood illness, frequently treated with antibiotics.
  • High antibiotic prescription rates for AOM in the UK and USA are noted.
  • Many AOM cases resolve spontaneously without antibiotic intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review the effects of various treatments for AOM in children.
  • To evaluate interventions aimed at preventing recurrent AOM.
  • To provide evidence-based information for clinical practice regarding AOM management.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted a systematic review of medical literature up to January 2007.
  • Searched major databases including Medline, Embase, and The Cochrane Library.
  • Included data from 19 systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and observational studies.
  • Incorporated safety alerts from regulatory agencies like the FDA and MHRA.

Main Results:

  • Identified and evaluated evidence for multiple AOM interventions.
  • Assessed the quality of evidence using the GRADE system.
  • Information gathered pertains to the effectiveness and safety of treatments and preventive measures.

Conclusions:

  • The review synthesizes information on the effectiveness and safety of interventions for AOM.
  • Interventions discussed include analgesics, antibiotics (immediate, delayed, prophylactic, longer courses), myringotomy, pneumococcal vaccination, and tympanostomy tubes.
  • Findings aim to inform treatment and prevention strategies for pediatric AOM.
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