title: Acute otitis media in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common reason for primary care visits in children. Yet, there is considerable debate on the most effective treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of treatments (analgesics, antibiotics, and myringotomy) in children with AOM? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to October 2013 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found 17 studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: analgesics, antibiotics, delayed antibiotics, immediate antibiotics, longer courses of antibiotics, and myringotomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roderick P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Venekamp
authors.forename: Roger A M J
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Damoiseaux
authors.forename: Anne G M
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Schilder
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents