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American Family Physician Oct 2013Acute otitis media is diagnosed in patients with acute onset, presence of middle ear effusion, physical evidence of middle ear inflammation, and symptoms such as pain,... (Review)
Review
Acute otitis media is diagnosed in patients with acute onset, presence of middle ear effusion, physical evidence of middle ear inflammation, and symptoms such as pain, irritability, or fever. Acute otitis media is usually a complication of eustachian tube dysfunction that occurs during a viral upper respiratory tract infection. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis are the most common organisms isolated from middle ear fluid. Management of acute otitis media should begin with adequate analgesia. Antibiotic therapy can be deferred in children two years or older with mild symptoms. High-dose amoxicillin (80 to 90 mg per kg per day) is the antibiotic of choice for treating acute otitis media in patients who are not allergic to penicillin. Children with persistent symptoms despite 48 to 72 hours of antibiotic therapy should be reexamined, and a second-line agent, such as amoxicillin/clavulanate, should be used if appropriate. Otitis media with effusion is defined as middle ear effusion in the absence of acute symptoms. Antibiotics, decongestants, or nasal steroids do not hasten the clearance of middle ear fluid and are not recommended. Children with evidence of anatomic damage, hearing loss, or language delay should be referred to an otolaryngologist.
Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Analgesics; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Combined Modality Therapy; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Middle Ear Ventilation; Otitis Media; Otitis Media with Effusion; Recurrence; Risk Factors; Watchful Waiting
PubMed: 24134083
DOI: No ID Found -
Otolaryngology--head and Neck Surgery :... Apr 2017Objective We aimed to summarize key articles published between 2011 and 2015 on the treatment of (recurrent) acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, tympanostomy... (Review)
Review
Objective We aimed to summarize key articles published between 2011 and 2015 on the treatment of (recurrent) acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, tympanostomy tube otorrhea, chronic suppurative otitis media and complications of otitis media, and their implications for clinical practice. Data Sources PubMed, Ovid Medline, the Cochrane Library, and Clinical Evidence (BMJ Publishing). Review Methods All types of articles related to otitis media treatment and complications between June 2011 and March 2015 were identified. A total of 1122 potential related articles were reviewed by the panel members; 118 relevant articles were ultimately included in this summary. Conclusions Recent literature and guidelines emphasize accurate diagnosis of acute otitis media and optimal management of ear pain. Watchful waiting is optional in mild to moderate acute otitis media; antibiotics do shorten symptoms and duration of middle ear effusion. The additive benefit of adenoidectomy to tympanostomy tubes in recurrent acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion is controversial and age dependent. Topical antibiotic is the treatment of choice in acute tube otorrhea. Symptomatic hearing loss due to persistent otitis media with effusion is best treated with tympanostomy tubes. Novel molecular and biomaterial treatments as adjuvants to surgical closure of eardrum perforations seem promising. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of complementary and alternative treatments. Implications for Practice Emphasis on accurate diagnosis of otitis media, in its various forms, is important to reduce overdiagnosis, overtreatment, and antibiotic resistance. Children at risk for otitis media and its complications deserve special attention.
Topics: Adenoidectomy; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Combined Modality Therapy; Congresses as Topic; Humans; Middle Ear Ventilation; Otitis Media; Recurrence; Tympanic Membrane Perforation
PubMed: 28372534
DOI: 10.1177/0194599816633697 -
American Family Physician Sep 2019Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common diagnosis in childhood acute sick visits. By three years of age, 50% to 85% of children will have at least one episode of... (Review)
Review
Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common diagnosis in childhood acute sick visits. By three years of age, 50% to 85% of children will have at least one episode of AOM. Symptoms may include ear pain (rubbing, tugging, or holding the ear may be a sign of pain), fever, irritability, otorrhea, anorexia, and sometimes vomiting or lethargy. AOM is diagnosed in symptomatic children with moderate to severe bulging of the tympanic membrane or new-onset otorrhea not caused by acute otitis externa, and in children with mild bulging and either recent-onset ear pain (less than 48 hours) or intense erythema of the tympanic membrane. Treatment includes pain management plus observation or antibiotics, depending on the patient's age, severity of symptoms, and whether the AOM is unilateral or bilateral. When antibiotics are used, high-dose amoxicillin (80 to 90 mg per kg per day in two divided doses) is first-line therapy unless the patient has taken amoxicillin for AOM in the previous 30 days or has concomitant purulent conjunctivitis; amoxicillin/clavulanate is typically used in this case. Cefdinir or azithromycin should be the first-line antibiotic in those with penicillin allergy based on risk of cephalosporin allergy. Tympanostomy tubes should be considered in children with three or more episodes of AOM within six months or four episodes within one year with one episode in the preceding six months. Pneumococcal and influenza vaccines and exclusive breastfeeding until at least six months of age can reduce the risk of AOM.
Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Amoxicillin; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Evidence-Based Medicine; Family Practice; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Middle Ear Ventilation; Otitis Media; Pain Management; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 31524361
DOI: No ID Found -
American Family Physician Jan 2017
Review
Topics: Acute Disease; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Humans; Otitis Media; Otitis Media with Effusion; Prognosis
PubMed: 28084706
DOI: No ID Found -
The New England Journal of Medicine May 2021Official recommendations differ regarding tympanostomy-tube placement for children with recurrent acute otitis media. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Official recommendations differ regarding tympanostomy-tube placement for children with recurrent acute otitis media.
METHODS
We randomly assigned children 6 to 35 months of age who had had at least three episodes of acute otitis media within 6 months, or at least four episodes within 12 months with at least one episode within the preceding 6 months, to either undergo tympanostomy-tube placement or receive medical management involving episodic antimicrobial treatment. The primary outcome was the mean number of episodes of acute otitis media per child-year (rate) during a 2-year period.
RESULTS
In our main, intention-to-treat analysis, the rate (±SE) of episodes of acute otitis media per child-year during a 2-year period was 1.48±0.08 in the tympanostomy-tube group and 1.56±0.08 in the medical-management group (P = 0.66). Because 10% of the children in the tympanostomy-tube group did not undergo tympanostomy-tube placement and 16% of the children in the medical-management group underwent tympanostomy-tube placement at parental request, we conducted a per-protocol analysis, which gave corresponding episode rates of 1.47±0.08 and 1.72±0.11, respectively. Among secondary outcomes in the main analysis, results were mixed. Favoring tympanostomy-tube placement were the time to a first episode of acute otitis media, various episode-related clinical findings, and the percentage of children meeting specified criteria for treatment failure. Favoring medical management was children's cumulative number of days with otorrhea. Outcomes that did not show substantial differences included the frequency distribution of episodes of acute otitis media, the percentage of episodes considered to be severe, and antimicrobial resistance among respiratory isolates. Trial-related adverse events were limited to those included among the secondary outcomes of the trial.
CONCLUSIONS
Among children 6 to 35 months of age with recurrent acute otitis media, the rate of episodes of acute otitis media during a 2-year period was not significantly lower with tympanostomy-tube placement than with medical management. (Funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02567825.).
Topics: Acute Disease; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child, Preschool; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Female; Humans; Infant; Intention to Treat Analysis; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Middle Ear Ventilation; Otitis Media; Otitis Media with Effusion; Quality of Life; Recurrence
PubMed: 33979487
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2027278 -
Auris, Nasus, Larynx Aug 2020"Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Otitis Media in Children-2018 update (2018 Guidelines)" aim to provide appropriate...
OBJECTIVE
"Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Otitis Media in Children-2018 update (2018 Guidelines)" aim to provide appropriate recommendations about the diagnosis and management of children with acute otitis media (AOM), including recurrent acute otitis media (recurrent AOM), in children under 15 years of age. These evidence-based recommendations were created with the consensus of the subcommittee members, taking into consideration unique characteristics of bacteriology and antimicrobial susceptibilities of AOM pathogens in Japan, as well as global advances in vaccines.
METHODS
The subcommittee re-evaluated key clinical issues based on SCOPE (a master plan of the guidelines) and created clinical questions (CQ) about the diagnosis and management of AOM patients. A literature search of the publications from 2013 to 2016 were added to the Guidelines 2013, not only to assess the evidence on the effectiveness of vaccines, but also to provide up to date information of the bacteriology and antimicrobial susceptibilities of AOM causative pathogens in Japan.
RESULTS
We have proposed guidelines for disease severity-based management of AOM patients, after classifying AOM severity into mild, moderate, and severe, based on age, clinical manifestations, and otoscopic findings.
CONCLUSIONS
Precise otoscopic findings are essential for judging AOM severity, which can lead to appropriate management of AOM patients.
Topics: Adolescent; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Disease Management; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Japan; Otitis Media; Otoscopy; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Recurrence; Severity of Illness Index; Watchful Waiting
PubMed: 32576390
DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2020.05.019 -
Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy May 2023Acute otitis media (AOM) affects most (80%) children by 5 years of age and is the most common reason children are prescribed antibiotics. The epidemiology of AOM has... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Acute otitis media (AOM) affects most (80%) children by 5 years of age and is the most common reason children are prescribed antibiotics. The epidemiology of AOM has changed considerably since the widespread use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, which has broad-reaching implications for management.
AREAS COVERED
In this narrative review, we cover the epidemiology of AOM, best practices for diagnosis and management, new diagnostic technology, effective stewardship interventions, and future directions of the field. Literature review was performed using PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov.
EXPERT OPINION
Inaccurate diagnoses, unnecessary antibiotic use, and increasing antimicrobial resistance remain major challenges in AOM management. Fortunately, effective tools and interventions to improve diagnostic accuracy, de-implement unnecessary antibiotic use, and individualize care are on the horizon. Successful scaling of these tools and interventions will be critical to improving overall care for children.
Topics: Child; Humans; Infant; Acute Disease; Otitis Media; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Pneumococcal Vaccines
PubMed: 37097281
DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2023.2206565 -
The Journal of International Advanced... Dec 2016To evaluate and compare clinical and microbiological findings in adults hospitalized for acute otitis media (AOM) or mastoid infections (acute or latent).
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate and compare clinical and microbiological findings in adults hospitalized for acute otitis media (AOM) or mastoid infections (acute or latent).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all adults (≥17 years old) hospitalized (between 2003 and 2012) at a tertiary referral center for acute mastoid infections or AOM not responding to outpatient medical treatment.
RESULTS
Of the 160 patients in the study sample, 19% had an infection caused by S. pyogenes, 14% by S. pneumoniae, and 11% by P. aeruginosa. AOM was the most common infection (38%), whereas 33% had acute mastoiditis (AM), 18% had latent mastoiditis (LM), and 13% AM of a chronically infected ear (AMc). In contrast to the other infections, P. aeruginosa (30%) and S. aureus (25%) were most common in AMc. Otorrhea (83%), tympanic membrane perforation (57%), and hearing problems (83%) were common in S. pyogenes infections. Patients with S. pneumoniae had longer lengths of hospitalization than those with other bacterial infections (7 vs. 4 days). Otorrhea (94%) and retroauricular symptoms were more common in P. aeruginosa infections. Hearing symptoms were common (67%) but fever (32%) and retroauricular symptoms were uncommon in AOM. Fever (44%) and mastoid tenderness (65%) were common in AM. Patients with LM underwent the most mastoidectomies (54%). Prior medical conditions, retroauricular symptoms, otorrhea (90%), and post-infection problems were common in AMc.
CONCLUSION
The bacteriological etiology of hospitalized AOM more closely resembled those of LM and AM than that of AMc. Adults hospitalized for AOM or AM required fewer mastoidectomies than those hospitalized for LM or AMc.
Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Mastoiditis; Middle Aged; Otitis Media; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Retrospective Studies; Streptococcus; Young Adult
PubMed: 27895000
DOI: 10.5152/iao.2016.2620 -
PloS One 2012Otitis media (OM) is a leading cause of health care visits and drugs prescription. Its complications and sequelae are important causes of preventable hearing loss,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Otitis media (OM) is a leading cause of health care visits and drugs prescription. Its complications and sequelae are important causes of preventable hearing loss, particularly in developing countries. Within the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, for the year 2005 we estimated the incidence of acute OM, chronic suppurative OM, and related hearing loss and mortality for all ages and the 21 WHO regional areas.
METHODS
We identified risk factors, complications and sequelae of OM. We carried out an extensive literature review (Medline, Embase, Lilacs and Wholis) which lead to the selection of 114 papers comprising relevant data. Data were available from 15 of the 21 WHO regions. To estimate incidence and prevalence for all countries we adopted a two stage approach based on risk factors formulas and regression modelling.
RESULTS
Acute OM incidence rate is 10.85% i.e. 709 million cases each year with 51% of these occurring in under-fives. Chronic suppurative OM incidence rate is 4.76 ‰ i.e. 31 million cases, with 22.6% of cases occurring annually in under-fives. OM-related hearing impairment has a prevalence of 30.82 per ten-thousand. Each year 21 thousand people die due to complications of OM.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study is the first attempt to systematically review the available information and provide global estimates for OM and related conditions. The overall burden deriving from AOM, CSOM and their sequelae is considerable, particularly in the first five years of life and in the poorest countries. The findings call for incorporating OM-focused action within preventive and case management strategies, with emphasis on the more affected.
Topics: Cost of Illness; Hearing Loss; Humans; Internationality; Otitis Media
PubMed: 22558393
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0036226 -
Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2016Tuberculous otitis media and mastoiditis, or tuberculous otomastoiditis, is a rare but well-described infectious process occasionally affecting individuals in the United... (Review)
Review
Tuberculous otitis media and mastoiditis, or tuberculous otomastoiditis, is a rare but well-described infectious process occasionally affecting individuals in the United States but more frequently seen in countries where tuberculosis is endemic. Infection may be primary and occur through mucus aspirated through the Eustachian tube. Alternatively, organisms may secondarily infect the nasopharynx when expectorated from the lungs and, less frequently, may be hematogenously spread. Chronic otorrhea and hearing loss are common symptoms, and extensive perforation of the tympanic membranes and facial nerve paralysis are routinely described. Diagnosis is made by direct culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, although more recently, molecular techniques have been used. Successful treatment of tuberculous otomastoiditis routinely involves surgical intervention combined with prolonged antituberculosis therapy.
Topics: Antitubercular Agents; Global Health; Humans; Mastoiditis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Otitis Media; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Tuberculosis
PubMed: 28084203
DOI: 10.1128/microbiolspec.TNMI7-0020-2016