Oral prednisolone is an effective adjuvant therapy for acute otitis media with discharge through tympanostomy tubes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of a short course of oral prednisolone as an adjuvant therapy for acute otitis media draining through tympanostomy tubes.


METHODS
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, children with acute discharge (<48 hours) through tympanostomy tubes received either prednisolone (2 mg/kg/d; n = 23) or placebo (n = 27) for 3 days. All children received amoxicillin/clavulanate (40/10 mg/kg/d) for 7 days. The children were examined daily at the study clinic until the drainage ceased.


RESULTS
The median duration of otorrhea in the prednisolone group was 1.0 days (25% to 75% range, 1.0 to 2.0 days), compared with 3.0 days (25% to 75% range, 2.0 to 4.0 days) in the children receiving placebo (P <.001). The duration of otorrhea was </=2 days in 21 (91%) children in the prednisolone group, compared with 8 (30%) children in the placebo group (P <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Oral prednisolone appears to be modestly effective adjuvant therapy for acute otitis media with discharge through tympanostomy tubes in children. Further studies seem warranted to determine whether short-term use of steroids early during the course of acute otitis media would also reduce the duration of middle ear effusion in children with intact tympanic membranes.
Ruohola
A
A
Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
Heikkinen
T
T
Jero
J
J
Puhakka
T
T
Juvén
T
T
Närkiö-Mäkelä
M
M
Saxén
H
H
Ruuskanen
O
O
D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019818:Clavulanic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D019818:Clavulanic Acid; D000658:Amoxicillin; D011239:Prednisolone