A Retrospective Database Analysis to Estimate the Burden of Acute Otitis Media in Children Aged <15 Years in the Veneto Region (Italy)

• Published in: Children (Basel) Vol. 9; no. 3; p. 436
• Main Authors: Barbieri, Elisa, Porcu, Gloria, Hu, Tianyan, Petigara, Tanaz, Senese, Francesca, Prandi, Gian Marco, Scamarcia, Antonio, Cantarutti, Luigi, Cantarutti, Anna, Giaquinto, Carlo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 19.03.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: acute otitis media; Age; Bacterial infections; Cardiovascular disease; Demographics; Ear diseases; Families & family life; incidence; Pathogens; Pediatrics; pneumococcal vaccination; Primary care; recurrent acute otitis media; Risk factors; Software; Statistical analysis; Streptococcus infections; Trends; Vaccines; Viral infections; Italy; acute otitis media; pneumococcal vaccination; recurrent acute otitis media; incidence
• ISSN: 2227-9067; 2227-9067
• DOI: 10.3390/children9030436

This study aimed to assess trends in the incidence of acute otitis media (AOM), a common childhood condition, following the introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in the Veneto region of Italy in 2010. AOM episodes (overall, simple, and recurrent (≥3 or ≥4 episodes in 6 or 12 months, respectively, with ≥1 episode in the preceding 6 months)) in children <15 years of age were identified in Pedianet from 2010−2017. Interrupted time series analyses were conducted to assess changes in the annual incidence rates (IRs) in early (2010−2013) and late (2014−2017) PCV13 periods. In total, 72,570 children (402,868 person-years) were identified; 21,048 had 41,683 AOM episodes. Mean annual AOM IR was 103/1000 person-years (95% confidence interval: 102−104), decreasing from 126 to 79/1000 person-years. AOM IRs were highest in children 2−4 years of age, followed by <2 and 5−14 years of age. Overall and simple AOM IRs decreased among children 0−14 years of age, including 2−4 and 5−14 years of age, while recurrent AOM IRs decreased in children <2 years of age. Following PCV13 introduction, AOM IRs decreased substantially in children <15 years of age, with the greatest benefit observed in older children, driven by a reduction in simple AOM IRs. AOM disease burden remains substantial.