Spontaneously draining acute otitis media in children : An observational study of clinical findings, microbiology and clinical course

• Conclusion: The study indicates that an active ‘‘wait and see’’ policy during the first 3 days can be justified in most children with otorrhea but antibiotics should be considered in children who initially present with abundant purulent secretion and pulsating eardrum. Objectives: To study the clinical recovery of acute otitis media (AOM) with otorrhea in children managed initially without antibiotics. Methods: Children aged 2-16, presenting with AOM and spontaneous otorrhea, were followed. Specimens for bacterial investigations were obtained, and symptoms were registered on daily basis. The main outcome measures were the frequency of patients treated with antibiotics due to persisting AOM within 9 days in relation to clinical and bacteriologic findings and new AOM within 3 months. Results: Twelve of 71 children who completed the trial received antibiotics during the first nine days due to lack of improvement, one child after 16 days due to recurrent AOM and six had new AOM after 30 days. A.otitidis was found in 23 samples, S.pneumoniae in 12, S.pyogenes in 6, F.nucleatum in five. M.pneumoniae, C.pneumoniae and F.necrophorum could not be detected Antibiotics were prescribed more extensively to patients with pulsating eardrum and abundant purulent secretion. All patients with presence of S.pyogenes received antibiotics.

Nyckelord

AOM

perforation

spontaneous

otorrhea

microbiology

antibiotics

alloicoccus otitidis

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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