Trial Of Three-Day And Ten-Day Courses Of Amoxycillin In Otitis Media

• Published in: British medical journal (Clinical research ed.) Vol. 284; no. 6322; pp. 1078 - 1081
• Main Authors: de Saintonge, D. M. Chaput, Levine, D. F., Savage, I. Temple, Burgess, G. W. S., Sharp, J., Mayhew, S. R., Sadler, M. G., Moody, R., Griffiths, R., Griffiths, S., Meadows, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England British Medical Association 10.04.1982; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Amoxicillin - administration & dosage; Antibiotics; Audiology; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diarrhea; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Ears; Female; Hearing loss; Humans; Male; Medical treatment failures; Otitis media; Otitis Media - drug therapy; Random Allocation; Recurrence; Respiratory symptoms; Symptoms
• ISSN: 0267-0623
• DOI: 10.1136/bmj.284.6322.1078

A randomised double-blind controlled trial compared three-day and 10-day courses of amoxycillin (25 mg/kg daily) in children with otitis media. Seventeen doctors from five centres admitted 84 children between the ages of 2 and 10 years. Symptoms and signs were measured on admission to the trial, on day 3, and on day 15. Mothers' observations were recorded daily for 10 days. Audiograms were performed at four and 12 weeks after the end of the trial. The treatment groups showed little difference in the speed of resolution of symptoms and signs, the numbers of primary treatment failures, or the frequency of recurrent ear infections. There were no complications in either group. Most children with otitis media can probably be successfully and safely treated with no more than a three-day course of amoxycillin providing their progress is reviewed about the fifth or sixth day after treatment started. This policy could save over £1 million annually in antibiotic costs.