Antibiotic treatment of acute otorrhea through tympanostomy tube: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study with daily follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
The role of routine antimicrobial treatment of acute middle-ear infections is under debate, because the efficacy of antimicrobials in the resolution of middle-ear fluid has not been unambiguously proven. Acute tube otorrhea is regarded as evidence of acute otitis media, and for methodologic reasons it was chosen to provide objectivity for diagnostics and outcome assessment. The objective of this study was to assess whether amoxicillin-clavulanate accelerates the resolution of acute tube otorrhea.


METHODS
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in outpatient setting.


METHODS
Volunteer sample of basically healthy 6- to 72-month-old children with a tympanostomy tube. Eligibility required having acute tube otorrhea of <48 hours' of duration and no prior treatment within the last 2 weeks. The mean age of the participants was 25 months; they had a history of 3 episodes of acute otitis media (median), and 99% had manifestations of a concomitant respiratory infection. Of 79 randomized patients, 7 were withdrawn because of adverse events; 66 patients completed the study.


METHODS
Amoxicillin-clavulanate (N = 34; 45 mg/kg/d) or matching placebo (N = 32) for 7 days and daily suction of middle-ear fluid through tympanostomy tube.


METHODS
Duration of acute tube otorrhea and duration of bacterial growth in middle-ear fluid.


RESULTS
The median duration of tube otorrhea was significantly shorter in amoxicillin-clavulanate than in the placebo group (3 vs 8 days). At the end of the 7-day medication period, tube otorrhea was resolved in 28 of 34 children receiving amoxicillin-clavulanate compared with 13 of 32 children on placebo (treatment-control difference 41%; 95% confidence interval, 20%-63%; number needed to treat, 2.4). The median duration of bacterial growth in middle-ear fluid was shorter in amoxicillin-clavulanate than in the placebo group (1 vs 8 days).


CONCLUSIONS
Oral antibiotic treatment significantly accelerates the resolution of acute tube otorrhea by reducing bacterial growth in middle-ear fluid.
Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. aino.ruohola@utu.fi
Aino
A
Ruohola
Terho
T
Heikkinen
Olli
O
Meurman
Tuomo
T
Puhakka
Niklas
N
Lindblad
Olli
O
Ruuskanen
D000208:Acute Disease; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000379:methods*; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination