Osteopathic evaluation and manipulative treatment in reducing the morbidity of otitis media: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of osteopathic manipulative treatment in routine pediatric care for children with recurrent acute otitis media.


METHODS
Pilot cohort study with 1-year posttreatment follow-up. At follow-up, subjects' parents or legal guardians and their referring and/or family physicians were contacted to determine recurrence of otitis media since intervention.


METHODS
A referred and volunteer sample of pediatric patients ranging in age from 7 months to 35 months with a history of recurrent otitis media (N=8).


METHODS
For 3 weeks, all subjects received weekly osteopathic structural examinations and osteopathic manipulative treatment. This intervention was performed concurrently with traditional medical management.


RESULTS
Five (62.5%) subjects had no recurrence of symptoms. Of the three remaining subjects in this cohort, one had a bulging tympanic membrane, another had four episodes of otitis media, and the last underwent surgery after recurrence at 6 weeks posttreatment. Closer analysis of the posttreatment course of the last two subjects indicates that there may have been a clinically significant decrease in morbidity for a period of time after intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study indicates that osteopathic manipulative treatment may change the progression of recurrent otitis media, a finding that supports the need for additional research in this area.
Degenhardt
Brian F
BF
A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, 800 W Jefferson St, Kirksville, MO 63501-1443, USA. bdegenhardt@atsu.edu
Kuchera
Michael L
ML
D000208:Acute Disease; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D026301:Manipulation, Osteopathic / Q000379:methods*; D009017:Morbidity; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018579:Patient Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology