SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2000
Antibiotics for acute otitis media in children.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2000. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Antibiotics Versus Placebo for Acute Bacterial Conjunctivitis: Findings From a Cochrane Systematic Review.American journal of ophthalmology · 2024Pooled it
- Antibiotics for acute otitis media in children.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Immediate versus delayed versus no antibiotics for respiratory infections.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, alone or combined, for pain relief in acute otitis media in children.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Antibiotics versus placebo for acute bacterial conjunctivitis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Antibiotics for treatment of sore throat in children and adults.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Delayed antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory infections.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- Implications of Antibiotic Resistance for Patients' Recovery From Common Infections in the Community: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America · 2017Pooled it
- Antibiotics for acute otitis media in children.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- The effect of using an interactive booklet on childhood respiratory tract infections in consultations: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care.BMC family practice · 2008Trial
- A SNAPpy use of large language models: using large language models to classify treatment plans in pediatric acute otitis media.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA · 2025Article
- An infant mouse model of influenza-driven nontypeableInfection and immunity · 2024Article
- Nasopharyngeal rapid diagnostic testing to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and individualize management of acute otitis media.Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE · 2023Article
- Pharmacological activities and mechanisms of action of Pogostemon cablin Benth: a review.Chinese medicine · 2021Review
- Caregiver perspectives and preferences for acute otitis media management.Antimicrobial stewardship & healthcare epidemiology : ASHE · 2021Article
- Bacterial Etiologies of Ear Infection and Their Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia: A Six-Year Retrospective Study.Infection and drug resistance · 2021Article
- Translating Recent Microbiome Insights in Otitis Media into Probiotic Strategies.Clinical microbiology reviews · 2019Review
- N-Acetyl-l-Cysteine and Cysteamine as New Strategies against Mixed Biofilms of Nonencapsulated Streptococcus pneumoniae and Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae.Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2017Article
- Antibiotic Treatment for First Episode of Acute Otitis Media Is Not Associated with Future Recurrences.PloS one · 2016Article
- Evaluation of Iranian pediatric specialists' attitude and knowledge regarding approach to patients with acute otitis media.Medical journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran · 2012Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAcute 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.
objectivesThe 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, MEDLINE, Index Medicus (pre 1965), Current Contents and reference lists of articles from 1958 to January 2000. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised trials comparing antimicrobial drugs with placebo in children with acute otitis media. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Three reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. MAIN
resultsTen trials were eligible but only seven trials, with a total of 2,202 children, included patient-relevant outcomes. The methodological quality of the included trials was generally high. All trials were from developed countries. The trials showed no reduction in pain at 24 hours, but a 28% relative reduction (95% confidence interval 15% to 38%) in pain at two to seven days. Since approximately 80% of patients will have settled spontaneously in this time, this means an absolute reduction of 5% or that about 17 children must be treated with antibiotics to prevent one child having some pain after two days. There was no effect of antibiotics on hearing problems of acute otitis media, as measured by subsequent tympanometry. However, audiometry was done in only two studies and incompletely reported. Nor did antibiotics influence other complications or recurrence. There were few serious complications seen in these trials: only one case of mastoiditis occurred in a penicillin treated group. REVIEWER'S
conclusionsAntibiotics provide a small benefit for acute otitis media in children. As most cases will resolve spontaneously, this benefit must be weighed against the possible adverse reactions. Antibiotic treatment may play an important role in reducing the risk of mastoiditis in populations where it is more common. [This abstract has been prepared centrally.]
Indexed as
Identifiers
11034677What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.