Antibiotics Can Help Treat Acute Otitis Media in Young Children
A review of 2 recent studies finds statistically significant advantages of antibiotics in terms of initial resolution of symptoms and clinical failure rate.
A review of 2 recent studies finds statistically significant advantages of antibiotics in terms of initial resolution of symptoms and clinical failure rate.
Antibiotics provide a modest benefit for young children with acute otitis media (AOM), concludes a
The review authors outline the results of 2 studies published on January 13, 2011, in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the
In the
The review authors note that prior to 2004, antibiotics were the standard of care for children with AOM. In 2004, however, a guideline from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians indicated that observation without antibiotics was an option for children aged 6 to 24 months whose diagnosis was uncertain and who had non-severe illness.
The 2 studies described above found statistically significant positive effects of antibiotic treatment for AOM in young children. However, the review authors note that these studies have inspired a great deal of debate in the literature. Critics have pointed out that their criteria for AOM were far stricter than could be used in clinical practice and that the benefits of antibiotics seemed greater in these sicker patients. In addition, they have pointed out that a significant increase in side effects, particularly diarrhea, were associated with antibiotics.
In all, the review authors note, the studies’ results suggest that clinicians should determine on a case-by-case basis whether to treat AOM in young children with antibiotics immediately or to take a wait-and-see approach, treating with antibiotics if symptoms do not resolve on their own. They conclude that a better means of predicting which patients with AOM will benefit from antibiotics is key to improving treatment of AOM in young children.
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