Acute otitis media: clinical course among children who received a short course of high dose antibiotic.

A prospective study was carried out in 274 children aged 3 to 10 years with acute otitis media. They were randomly allocated to one of two treatment regimens: (a) a seven day course of amoxycillin 125 mg three times a day, and (b) a two day course of amoxycillin 750 mg twice a day. They were followed up by symptom diaries and clinical examination. The findings in the 243 children who completed the trial showed that the short course of treatment was as effective as the seven day course in the speed of resolution of symptoms and signs, irrespective of previous history of otitis media or of episodes in which bulging of the eardrums was observed at presentation. A subgroup of 185 children was followed up for one year after entry to the trial. During this period no appreciable differences emerged between the two antibiotic regimens, either in recurrence rate of otitis media or in the frequency of hearing loss at one month and six months after entry to the study. Side effects of treatment were few, and those that could be attributed to antibiotic use occurred with equal frequency in the two treatment groups.     

Policies on antibiotics of south east London general practitioners for managing acute otitis media in children.

Questionnaires on antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media in children were sent to the general practitioners who make regular referrals to clinics in the King''s College Hospital group. The most popular first choice of drug was amoxycillin (44%), but 37% of general practitioners said that they often used oral phenoxymethylpenicillin. This drug has relatively low activity against Haemophilus influenzae and many strains of Staphylococcus aureus. It is poorly absorbed from the stomach, does not penetrate the middle ear well, and its use may be one factor in the development of chronic middle ear effusions after acute otitis media. Sixty two per cent of the doctors who replied never treated acute otitis media with intramuscular antibiotics, but 57% used oral loading doses. Ninety seven per cent never treated their patients without antibiotics.     

Co-amoxiclav in recurrent acute otitis media: placebo controlled study.

OBJECTIVE--To determine the efficacy of coamoxiclav in children aged 6 months to 12 years with recurrent acute otitis media. DESIGN--A randomised double blind placebo controlled clinical trial. SETTING--General practice in the Netherlands. PATIENTS--121 children with recurrent acute otitis media, defined by onset of otalgia and otoscopic signs of middle ear infection within four to 52 weeks after the previous attack. Confirmation of diagnosis and randomisation was done by otolaryngologists. INTERVENTION--Oral co-amoxiclav or placebo in weight related doses for seven days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--An irregular clinical course defined as the presence of otalgia or a body temperature greater than or equal to 38 degrees C, or both, after three days. RESULTS--Eleven (16%; 95% confidence interval 9% to 28%) children had an irregular course in the co-amoxiclav group and 10 (19%; 9% to 31%) in the placebo group (difference not significant). Age, dichotomised at 2 years, was the only significant prognostic factor for irregular course of the disease (odds ratio 5.9; 1.8 to 19.1). Among children aged below 2 years, 28% (4/14) in the co-amoxiclav group and 58% (7/12) in the placebo group had irregular courses. For children 2 years and older these percentages were 13% (7/52) and 7% (3/41). CONCLUSION--Children with recurrent acute otitis media are at greater risk of an irregular clinical course of the disease than children with a first episode of acute otitis media. Co-amoxiclav has no significant benefit over placebo in treating children over 2 years with acute otitis media.     

Effect of recolonisation with "interfering" alpha streptococci on recurrences of acute and secretory otitis media in children: randomised placebo controlled trial

ObjectiveTo study the effect of recolonisation with α streptococci with the ability to inhibit the growth of otopathogens (“interfering” activity) on the recurrence of acute otitis media in susceptible children and the effect on the frequency of secretory otitis media.DesignDouble blind, randomised, placebo controlled study.SettingEar, nose, and throat clinic with three doctors.Participants130 children prone to otitis media aged between 6 months and 6 years, 108 of whom were eligible and followed for 3 months.InterventionsChildren with no recurrences during the last month received phenoxymethylpenicillin (n=22), and those with a recurrence within 1 month received amoxicillin clavulanic acid (n=86), both twice daily for 10 days. These were followed by a streptococcal or placebo solution sprayed into the nose for a further 10 days. At day 60 the same spray was started for another 10 days.ResultsAt 3 months 22 children (42%) given the streptococcal spray were healthy and had a normal tympanic membrane compared with 12 (22%) of those given placebo. This difference was shown separately for recurrences of both acute otitis media and secretory otitis media.ConclusionsSelected bacteria with the ability to inhibit the growth of common otopathogens can be used to protect against recurrent acute otitis media and secretory otitis media in children.     

Xylitol chewing gum in prevention of acute otitis media: double blind randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether xylitol, which reduces the growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae, might have clinical importance in the prevention of acute otitis media. DESIGN: A double blind randomised trial with xylitol administered in chewing gum. SETTING: Eleven day care nurseries in the city of Oulu. Most of the children had had problems with recurrent acute otitis media. SUBJECTS: 306 day care children: 149 children in the sucrose group (76 boys; mean (SD) age 4.9 (1.5) years) and 157 in the xylitol group (80 boys; 5.0 (1.4) years). INTERVENTION: Either xylitol (8.4 g a day) or sucrose (control) chewing gum for two months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The occurrence of acute otitis media and antimicrobial treatment received during the intervention and nasopharyngeal carriage of S pneumoniae. RESULTS: During the two month monitoring period at least one event of acute otitis media was experienced by 31/149 (20.8%) children who received sucrose compared with 19/157 (12.1%) of those receiving chewing gum containing xylitol (difference 8.7%; 95% confidence interval 0.4% to 17.0%; P = 0.04). Significantly fewer antimicrobials were prescribed among those receiving xylitol: 29/157 (18.5%) children had at least one period of treatment versus 43/149 (28.9%) (difference 10.4%; 0.9% to 19.9%; P = 0.032). The carriage rate of S pneumoniae varied from 17.4% to 28.2% with no difference between the groups. Two children in the xylitol group experienced diarrhoea, but no other adverse effects were noted among the xylitol users. CONCLUSION: Xylitol seems to have a preventive effect against acute otitis media.     

Twice-daily antibiotics in the treatment of acute otitis media: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole versus amoxicillin-clavulanate.

Twice-daily trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole has been shown to be effective in the treatment of acute otitis media except that caused by group A beta-streptococci. Amoxicillin-clavulanate potassium is effective in vitro against all bacterial pathogens causing acute otitis media and has been reported to be effective when given twice daily for urinary tract infections, acute otitis media and respiratory tract infections. To determine whether the in-vitro efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanate carries over clinically, we conducted a prospective randomized double-blind trial in 219 children presenting at a pediatric walk-in clinic. Diagnosis and follow-up assessments were made by means of examination of the tympanic membrane and acoustic otoscopy. Of the 219 children 202 (101 in either group) were assessed by a specially trained nurse at a follow-up visit 12 to 16 (mean 14) days after treatment was begun. Cure was defined as absence of symptoms and normal results of both visual inspection of the tympanic membrane and acoustic reflectometry; improvement was defined as absence of symptoms and either normal appearance of the tympanic membrane or normal results of acoustic reflectometry; treatment failure was defined as abnormal appearance of the tympanic membrane along with an acoustic reflectometry reading of 5 units or more. There were no differences in age (mean 60 months), sex or proportion of subjects with unilateral versus bilateral disease between the two groups. The combined rate of cure an improvement was significantly higher with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (93%) than with amoxicillin-clavulanate (82%) (p = 0.03). The rate of compliance (more than 80% of the drug taken) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Gastrointestinal side effects were more common with amoxicillin-clavulanate (p less than 0.0001). Our results suggest that for acute otitis media twice-daily trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is more effective clinically and produces fewer side effects than twice-daily amoxicillin-clavulanate.     

鼓膜置管术对分泌性中耳炎患儿术后生活质量的影响

目的:探讨鼓膜置管术对分泌性中耳炎(SOM)患儿术后生活质量的影响,为临床治疗SOM患儿提供理论参考。方法:采用中文版本《慢性耳病调查量表》(CCES)、中耳炎儿童生活质量调查问卷(OM-6)评分和儿童行为量表(CBCL)对我院2016年1月到2019年8月收治的300例SOM患儿行鼓膜置管术前术后进行评分,比较分析鼓膜置管术对患者生活质量的影响。结果:治疗后,患儿CCES各项目分值较治疗前均明显升高(P0.05),患者OM-6调查问卷评分在听力丧失、情感障碍、身体疼痛、活动限制及家长担忧五个方面分值均明显降低,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。治疗后,男患儿CBCL调查在抑郁、社交退缩、多动、攻击性、分裂样及强迫性六个方面评分明显低于治疗前,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05);女患儿CBCL调查在抑郁、社交退缩、多动、攻击性及分裂强迫五个方面评分明显低于治疗前,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:SOM患儿鼓膜置管术后临床症状和生活质量改善明显,鼓膜置管术是分泌性中耳炎患儿患儿有效的治疗措施。     

Amoxycillin and co-trimoxazole in presumed viral respiratory infections of childhood: placebo-controlled trial.

A double-blind randomized controlled trial of amoxycillin, co-trimoxazole, and placebo was conducted on 197 children presenting with presumed viral respiratory infections. Routine throat swabs were taken to exclude streptococcal diseases. The three disease categories studied--nasopharyngitis, pharyngotonsillitis, and bronchitis (including laryngotracheobronchitis)--showed a generally similar pattern of resolution irrespective of treatment. Nevertheless, seven out of 66 children receiving placebo were withdrawn from the trial with unremitting symptoms or complications thought to require antimicrobial treatment. Only two of 56 children receiving amoxycillin and none of 75 receiving co-trimoxazole were withdrawn. Three other children receiving amoxycillin and three receiving placebo were seen during the trial but further treatment was not thought to be necessary. Thus the return consultation rate in children receiving placebo therapy was 15% compared with 4% for those receiving antimicrobial treatment. Antimicrobial treatment was associated with less nasal discharge on the eighth day of treatment. Placebo treatment allowed an earlier return to normal activity. There was a high incidence of possible side effects on all regimens including placebo. It is concluded that the benefits of antimicrobial treatment in presumed viral respiratory infections are marginal, and they should not be routinely prescribed for these conditions.     

MANAGEMENT OF OTITIC HYDROCEPHALUS—With Particular Attention to the Effect of Antibiotics

Otitic hydrocephalus as a complication of otitis media is probably not so rare as is generally assumed. The onset is insidious and first symptoms are vague. Even after signs of elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure appear, differential diagnosis remains a difficult problem.On the basis of what is known of the pathologic features and clinical course of otitic hydrocephalus a plan for the prevention and management of this complication is suggested.In children and adolescents with a history of recurrent otitis media and other conditions likely to produce hydrocephalic disturbances, new episodes of otitis media must be treated along classical lines, notwithstanding supplementary use of antibiotics. After recovery, extended follow-up observation is required, which should include repeated ophthalmoscopic examinations. A finding of changes in the eyegrounds calls for neurologic evaluation.Energetic treatment, particularly daily spinal taps, may prevent ultimate blindness.     

Are antibiotics indicated as initial treatment for children with acute otitis media? A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of antibiotic treatment for acute otitis media in children. DESIGN: Systematic search of the medical literature to identify studies that used antibiotics in randomised controlled trials to treat acute otitis media. Studies were examined blind, and the results of those of satisfactory quality of methodology were pooled. SUBJECTS: Six studies of children aged 7 months to 15 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain, deafness, and other symptoms related to acute otitis media or antibiotic treatment. RESULTS: 60% of placebo treated children were pain free within 24 hours of presentation, and antibiotics did not influence this. However, at 2-7 days after presentation, by which time only 14% of children in control groups still had pain, early use of antibiotics reduced the risk of pain by 41% (95% confidence interval 14% to 60%). Antibiotics reduced contralateral acute otitis media by 43% (9% to 64%). They seemed to have no influence on subsequent attacks of otitis media or deafness at one month, although there was a trend for improvement of deafness at three months. Antibiotics were associated with a near doubling of the risk of vomiting, diarrhoea, or rashes (odds ratio 1.97 (1.19 to 3.25)). CONCLUSIONS: Early use of antibiotics provides only modest benefit for acute otitis media: to prevent one child from experiencing pain by 2-7 days after presentation, 17 children must be treated with antibiotics early.     

综合康复治疗对分泌性中耳炎致小儿听力损伤的临床效果

目的:探讨综合康复治疗对分泌性中耳炎致小儿听力损伤的临床效果。方法:以88例2016年1月-2017年8月于我院诊治的分泌性中耳炎致听力损伤患儿为研究对象,将其随机分为综合组和对照组,每组44例。综合组采用综合康复治疗,对照组采用耳部按摩治疗,观察并比较两组临床疗效,治疗前后气导、骨导听阈值的变化。结果:治疗后,综合组有效率为79.55%,显著高于对照组(56.82%,P0.05)。与治疗前相比,两组治疗后0.25-0.8 Hz各频率下气导听阈值及2.0和4.0 kHz下骨导听阈值均显著降低(P0.05),且综合组患儿以上指标均显著低于对照组(P0.05)。结论:综合康复治疗即联合感音训练、耳部按摩、音乐感知及运动训练对分泌性中耳炎致小儿听力损伤有较好的疗效,能改善患儿气导、骨导听阈水平。     

Treatment of streptococcal pharyngitis with amoxycillin once a day.

OBJECTIVE--To evaluate treatment of group A beta haemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis with amoxycillin once daily compared with phenoxymethylpenicillin three or four times a day. DESIGN--Randomised controlled study of consecutive patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of group A beta haemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis in whom culture of a throat swab yielded positive results. SETTING--Five family medicine practices. SUBJECTS--157 patients aged over 3 years who required treatment with antibiotics. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Clinical response, bacteriological response, days at work and school lost, and compliance. RESULTS--During the period of the study 393 patients presented with symptoms suggesting streptococcal pharyngitis; 157 of them had throat swabs that yielded positive results on culture. Eighty two were treated with phenoxymethylpenicillin and 75 with amoxycillin. No difference was observed in the clinical response, days at work and school lost (139 days for 64 patients taking phenoxymethylpenicillin v 100 days for 57 patients taking amoxycillin; p > 0.2), or residual positive cultures after two days (6 (7.3%) v 3 (4%); p > 0.5). A significant difference in the bacteriological response was found after 14 days (5 (6.1%) v 0; p < 0.04) with no positive cultures observed in the amoxycillin group. CONCLUSIONS--These findings support the hypothesis that amoxycillin once daily is as effective as phenoxymethylpenicillin in the treatment of group A beta haemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis.     

Management of otitic hydrocephalus; with particular attention to the effect of antibiotics

Otitic hydrocephalus as a complication of otitis media is probably not so rare as is generally assumed. The onset is insidious and first symptoms are vague. Even after signs of elevated cerebrospinal fluid pressure appear, differential diagnosis remains a difficult problem. On the basis of what is known of the pathologic features and clinical course of otitic hydrocephalus a plan for the prevention and management of this complication is suggested. In children and adolescents with a history of recurrent otitis media and other conditions likely to produce hydrocephalic disturbances, new episodes of otitis media must be treated along classical lines, notwithstanding supplementary use of antibiotics. After recovery, extended follow-up observation is required, which should include repeated ophthalmoscopic examinations. A finding of changes in the eyegrounds calls for neurologic evaluation. Energetic treatment, particularly daily spinal taps, may prevent ultimate blindness.     

Diagnosis and antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media: report from International Primary Care Network.

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The relation between a history of disorders suggestive of acute otitis media, symptoms, and findings of an examination of the tympanic membrane and doctors'' certainty of diagnosis. Also, to examine differences in prescribing habits for acute otitis media among doctors from different countries. DESIGN--Questionnaires were completed by participating doctors for a maximum of 15 consecutive patients presenting with presumed acute otitis media. SETTING--General practices in Australia, Belgium, Great Britain, Israel, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland, and the United States. PATIENTS--3660 Children divided into the three age groups 0-12 months, 13-30 months, and greater than or equal to 31 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--General practitioners'' responses to questions on their diagnostic certainty and resolution of patients'' symptoms after two months. RESULTS--The diagnostic certainty in patients aged 0-12 months was 58.0%. This increased to 66.0% in those aged 13-30 months and 73.3% in those aged greater than or equal to 31 months. In all age groups diagnostic certainty was positively associated with the finding of a tympanic membrane that was discharging pus or bulging. Redness of the membrane and pain were also associated with certainty in patients aged 13-30 months, and a history of decreased hearing or recent upper respiratory infection was positively associated in patients aged greater than or equal to 31 months. The proportion of patients prescribed antibiotics varied greatly among the countries, from 31.2% in The Netherlands to 98.2% in both Australia and New Zealand, as did the duration of treatment. Patients who did not take antibiotics had a higher rate of recovery than those who did; the rate of recovery did not differ between different types of antibiotic. CONCLUSIONS--Doctors'' certainty of diagnosis of acute otitis media was linked to patient''s age. Improved criteria or techniques for diagnosing acute otitis media, especially in very young children, need to be developed. Antibiotic treatment did not improve the rate of recovery of patients in this study.     

Predictors of poor outcome and benefits from antibiotics in children with acute otitis media: pragmatic randomised trial

ObjectivesTo identify which children with acute otitis media are at risk of poor outcome and to assess benefit from antibiotics in these children.DesignSecondary analysis of randomised controlled trial cohort.SettingPrimary care.Participants315 children aged 6 months to 10 years.InterventionImmediate or delayed (taken after 72 hours if necessary) antibiotics.ResultsDistress by day three was more likely in children with high temperature (adjusted odds ratio 4.5, 95% confidence interval 2.3 to 9.0), vomiting (2.6,1.3 to 5.0), and cough (2.0, 1.1 to 3.8) on day one. Night disturbance by day three was more likely with high temperature 2.4 (1.2 to 4.8), vomiting (2.1,1.1 to 4.0), cough (2.3,1.3 to 4.2), and ear discharge (2.1, 1.2 to 3.9). Among the children with high temperature or vomiting, distress by day three was less likely with immediate antibiotics (32% for immediate v 53% for delayed, χ²=4.0; P=0.045, number needed to treat 5) as was night disturbance (26% v 59%, χ²=9.3; P=0.002; number needed to treat 3). In children without higher temperature or vomiting, immediate antibiotics made little difference to distress by day three (15% v 19%, χ²=0.74; P=0.39) or night disturbance (20% v 27%, χ²=1.6; P=0.20). Addition of cough did not significantly improve prediction of benefit.ConclusionIn children with otitis media but without fever and vomiting antibiotic treatment has little benefit and a poor outcome is unlikely.

What is already known on this topic

Most children with otitis media will not benefit symptomatically from immediate use of antibioticsIt is unclear which children are more likely to benefit from antibiotics and which features predict poor outcome

What this study adds

Children with high temperature or vomiting were more likely to be distressed or have night disturbance three days after seeing the doctorChildren with high temperature or vomiting were more likely to benefit from antibiotics, although it is still reasonable to wait 24-48 hours as many children will settle anywayChildren without high temperature or vomiting were unlikely to have poor outcome and unlikely to benefit from immediate antibiotics     

Growth of asthmatic children during treatment with budesonide: a double blind trial.

OBJECTIVE--To determine whether the inhaled glucocorticosteroid budesonide has any adverse effect on short term linear growth in children with mild asthma. SETTING--Outpatient clinic in secondary referral centre. PATIENTS--15 children aged 6-13 years with normal statural growth velocity during the previous year, no signs of puberty, and no use of systemic or topical steroids in the two months before the study. DESIGN OF INTERVENTIONS--Double blind, randomised crossover trial with two active periods in which budesonide was given in divided daily doses of 200 micrograms and 800 micrograms. During run in and two washout periods placebo was given. After the second washout period the children received open treatment with 400 micrograms budesonide daily. All periods were of 18 days'' duration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Growth of the lower leg as measured twice a week by knemometry. RESULTS--Mean growth velocity of the lower leg was 0.63 mm/week during run in and during washout 0.64 mm/week. Budesonide treatment was associated with a significant dose related reduction of growth velocity: the mean reduction in growth velocity during treatment was 0.11 (95% confidence interval -0.15 0.36 (0.13 to 0.59) mm/week with 800 micrograms budesonide (p less than 0.05; Page''s test). During treatment with 400 micrograms budesonide a reduction of 0.17 (-0.10 to 0.45) mm/week was found. CONCLUSIONS--Treatment with inhaled budesonide is associated with a dose related suppression of short term linear growth in children with mild asthma.     

Effectiveness of out-of-home day care for disadvantaged families: randomised controlled trial

Objective To assess the effects of providing daycare facilities for young children on the health and welfare of disadvantaged families.Design Randomised controlled trial. Eligible children from the application list to a daycare facility were randomly allocated to receive a daycare place or not.Setting Early Years daycare centre in Borough of Hackney, London.Participants 120 mothers and 143 eligible children (aged between 6 months and 3.5 years).Intervention A place at the centre, which provided high quality day care. Control families used other child care that they secured for themselves.Main outcome measures Maternal paid employment, household income, child health and development.Results At 18 months'' follow up, 67% of intervention group mothers and 60% of control group mothers were in paid employment (adjusted risk ratio 1.23 (95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.52)), but were no more likely to have a weekly household income of above £200 (risk ratio 0.88 (0.70 to 1.09)). Intervention group children had more otitis media with effusion (risk ratio 1.74 (1.02 to 2.96)) and used more health services (1.58 (1.05 to 2.38)), but both estimates were imprecise.Conclusion The provision of child day care may have increased maternal employment, but it did not seem to increase household income. The results suggest that providing day care may be insufficient as a strategy to reduce poverty. The study shows how random allocation can be used to ration and evaluate interventions where demand exceeds supply.     

Study of middle ear disease using tympanometry in general practice.

Tympanometry was used to provide evidence of middle ear effusions in a prospective study of middle ear disease in 264 children aged 3 months to 6 years in general practice. Adequate measurements on both ears were obtained in 220 children, of whom 68 (31%) had evidence of middle ear effusion in one ear (29 children) or both ears (39 children) at entry to the study. In 28 (42%) of the 68 children persistence of the tympanometric findings was recorded for at least three months. Children of European descent were more likely to have evidence of middle ear effusion at the initial examination compared with African and West Indian children, as were those children whose siblings had a positive history of otitis media compared with those whose siblings had no such history. Children under 3 years were more likely to have evidence of an effusion than older children. Middle ear effusion as shown by tympanometry was not associated with a previous history of otitis media in the child but was associated with recent symptoms of respiratory infection or otalgia. A previous consultation for otitis media was, however, strongly associated with a greater likelihood of a consultation for otitis media during the follow up period. Comparing evidence of effusion by tympanometry with that by pneumatic otoscopy showed that using the appearance of the eardrum alone the sensitivity of otoscopy was 55%; the addition of mobility improved the sensitivity to 76% with little reduction in specificity. Further studies on populations using tympanometry are needed to determine the natural history, aetiology, and indications for referring children with middle ear effusion.     

Randomised,double blind,placebo controlled trial of penicillin V and amoxycillin in treatment of acute sinus infections in adults.

OBJECTIVES--To compare the effectiveness of penicillin V and amoxycillin with placebo in treatment of adult patients with acute sinusitis. DESIGN--Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial. SETTING--Norwegian general practice. SUBJECTS--130 adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute sinusitis confirmed by computed tomography. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Subjective status after three and 10 days of treatment, difference in clinical severity score between day 0 and day 10 as evaluated by the general practitioner, difference in score from computed tomography on day 0 and day 10, and duration of sinusitis. RESULTS--Amoxycillin and penicillin V led to significantly faster and better recovery than placebo. By day 10, 71 patients receiving antibiotic treatment- (86%) considered themselves to be recovered or much better compared with 25 (57%) receiving placebo. The mean (95% confidence interval) reductions in clinical severity scores by day 10 were 5.4 (5.0 to 5.8) for penicillin V, 5.5 (4.9 to 6.0 for amoxycillin, and 3.4 (2.8 to 4.0) for placebo. For the antibiotic groups combined the number of patients with the greatest degree of improvement on computed tomography (scale 0-16)-that is, score 5-16 on day 10-was 31/83 (37%) compared with 10/44 (23%) receiving placebo. The median duration of the sinusitis was nine days in the amoxycillin group, 11 days in the penicillin V group, and 17 days in the placebo group. CONCLUSION--Penicillin V and amoxycillin are significantly more effective than placebo in the treatment of acute sinusitis.     

Dr. Mary Fanning: caring for AIDS patients at Toronto General.

Although amoxicillin has long been the preferred drug for treatment of acute otitis media, resistant strains of two relatively common causal organisms have emerged, prompting a search for other antibiotics. We performed a randomized double-blind trial comparing amoxicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in 221 children in whom acute otitis media was diagnosed in an outpatient setting. Diagnosis was on the basis of symptoms, otoscopic examination and acoustic reflectometry. No culture specimens were taken. A research nurse, using the same methods, evaluated patients in a follow-up home visit at around 14 days and measured compliance by examination of the medicine bottle. Equal proportions of children in the two groups were cured or improved (88% and 87%). Therapeutic efficacy was related to compliance in both groups, and there were few side effects in either group. This study had statistical power of 80% to detect a difference of 15%. We conclude that trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole can be considered a first-line antibiotic in the treatment of acute otitis media.