Childhood otalgia: acute otitis media. 1. Antibiotics not necessary in most cases.

Antibiotics for acute otitis media in children.

BACKGROUND Acute otitis media is one of the most common diseases in early infancy and childhood. Antibiotic use for acute otitis media varies from 31% in the Netherlands to 98% in the USA and Australia. OBJECTIVES The objective of this review was to assess the effects of antibiotics for children with acute otitis media. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, ME...

Should antibiotics be prescribed for acute otitis media?

BACKGROUND Acute otitis media (AOM) accounts for nearly 15 million antibiotic prescriptions every year and has become the most commonly cited reason for antimicrobial therapy among children in the United States. With the continuing rise of healthcare costs and the emergence of multi–drug-resistant bacteria, overuse of antibiotics has become a major public health concern worldwide. As a result, ...

Evidence assessment of management of acute otitis media: I. The role of antibiotics in treatment of uncomplicated acute otitis media.

CONTEXT In 1995, >5 million episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) accounted for $3 billion in health care expenditures. OBJECTIVES To synthesize the literature on the natural history of AOM, the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment in uncomplicated AOM, and the relative effectiveness of specific antibiotic regimens. DATA SOURCES Seven electronic databases for articles published between 1966...

Should children with acute otitis media routinely be treated with antibiotics? No: most children older than two years do not require antibiotics.

There is substantial debate regarding antibiotic use for the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) in children. The reason for this is simple: there is evidence both for and against antibiotic use in children with this common illness. The evidence supports the use of antibiotics only in certain clinical situations and avoidance of antibiotics in certain children with AOM. More than 80% of child...

Acute Otitis Media