Penicillin treatment of acute otitis media in children. A study of the duration of treatment.
Two hundred and ninety-seven children, aged 6 months to 7 years, with AOM were treated with penicillin V. One hundred and forty-eight children were given 25 or 50 mg/kg body weight twice a day for 5 days, and 149 children 25 mg/kg body weight twice a day for 10 days. No differences were found in the rate of healing between the 5- and 10-day groups. The larger penicillin dose, which was given to half the 5-day group, did not lead to improved healing. Treatment with penicillin for 5 days instead of 10 does not mean any increased risk of complications such as SOM, relapses, or therapeutic failure. Nor does the risk of a recurrence of otitis increase either. The investigation showed that the treatment of AOM with penicillin for 10 days, which is the rule in Sweden, can be reduced to 5 days with maintained satisfactory healing and without risk of increasing the number of complications.
D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000150:complications; D010404:Penicillin V / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors
D010404:Penicillin V