SINTOMATIC TREATMENT OF ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA: A COLLABORATIVE STUDY IN PAEDIATRIC GENERAL PRACTICE

Key words: Antibiotics, Otitis media, Guidelines, Paediatric practice

Available evidence from controlled trials on antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) show that the benefit of antibiotic treatment is marginal. A large observational prospective study aimed at evaluating to which extent symptomatic treatment alone was acceptable effective and applicable in everyday practice, was carried out by 169 paediatric practicioners. 1277 children older than 12 months were included in the study. Criteria for antibiotic treatment were: recurrent otitis media, othorrea, and persistence of fever or pain after 48-72 hours. Costs and benefits of treatment options were illustrated to the parents. Out of 1099 children eligible for symptomatic treatment, 743 (68%) were successfully treated without antibiotic. None of these had complications at 30-day follow-up control. Amoxycillin was used in 8 out of 10 children for whom antibiotic treatment was prescribed,. The study represents an example of successful application of evidence-based medicine in the paediatric practice.