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Acute Otitis Media
Acute Otitis Media
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the guideline are (1) to emphasize the requisites of diagnosis of acute otitis
media and (2) to describe treatment options.2
LITERATURE SEARCH
The National Guideline Clearinghouse was searched for guidelines in acute otitis media and 5
relevant guidelines were obtained. These are the 1) American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Subcommittee on Management of Acute Otitis
Media Clinical Practice Guideline; 2) Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Evidence
Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Medical Management of Acute Otitis Media; 3) University of
Michigan Health System Guidelines for Clinical Care (Otitis Media); 4) Scottish Intercollegiate
Guidelines Network (SIGN) and 5) Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. The book
Evidence-Based Otitis Media by Rosenfeld and Bluestone was also reviewed. Additional
literature search strategy used MEDLINE, Cochrane Database, National Library of Medicine’s
PubMed database, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Evidence Report and
Technology Assessment and Clinical Evidence by British Medical Journal were searched using
the keyword otitis media, exploded to include acute otitis media with the subheadings regarding
prevalence, diagnosis, and therapy. The search was limited to articles involving humans and
those published in English in the last fifteen years. The search yielded 4,226 articles (4222
pubmed, 3 cochrane, 1 AHRQ, 2 Clinical Evidence). Thirty-eight (38) abstracts were chosen and
results were further assessed for relevance. Full text articles were obtained when possible. The
chosen articles were divided as follows:
Meta-analysis 5
Randomized controlled trial 3
Non-randomized controlled study 3
Descriptive study 1
Consensus report/ CPG 5
DEFINITION
Acute otitis media (AOM) is clinically defined as an inflammation of the middle ear with rapid
onset of signs and symptoms of less than 3 weeks duration. 3
2. Stage of exudation
This stage marks the outpouring of fluid from the dilated permeable capillaries. All
symptoms are aggravated especially pain and fever. Otoscopy will reveal a red, thickened
bulging eardrum with loss of the light reflex.
5. Stage of complication
This stage marks the spread of the infection to beyond the middle ear.
6. Stage of resolution
This may occur at any stage of the disease.
RISK FACTORS
Host related factors (very young age, presence of allergy, immunodeficiency, presence of
craniofacial abnormalities, genetic predisposition) as well as environmental factors (upper
respiratory infection, daycare attendance, more siblings, tobacco smoke exposure, bottle feeding,
pacifier use and low socioeconomic status) are considered risk factors in the occurrence,
recurrence and persistence of middle ear disease. 8
1. To diagnose acute otitis media, the physician should confirm a history of acute onset
and evaluate for the signs and symptoms of middle ear inflammation.
Grade B Recommendation
AND
3. any one of the following:
a. fever
b. distinct otalgia (discomfort clearly referable to the ear(s) that results in
interference with or precludes normal activity or sleep)
History of abrupt onset of otalgia/ ear tugging, irritability in an infant/ toddler, otorrhea
and fever are usually non-specific and are also found in patients with upper respiratory
tract infection, without AOM, thus clinical history alone is poorly predictive of AOM
especially in younger children.3
To identify signs and symptoms of middle ear effusion, confirmation with the use of
pneumatic otoscopy is recommended. Findings on otoscopy include fullness/ bulging of
the tympanic membrane (highest predictive value for the presence of MEE), reduced/
absent mobility and opacification or cloudiness of the tympanic membrane. When the
presence of middle ear fluid is difficult to determine, the use of tympanometry can be
helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Findings of middle ear fluid in tympanometry show
a type B curve*. 9
Signs and symptoms of middle ear inflammation must also be determined during
otoscopy and includes distinct erythema of the tympanic membrane and this must be
differentiated from the pink erythematous flush evoked by crying or high fever. 3
A certain diagnosis of AOM meets the three criteria enumerated in the table.
Grade B Recommendation
The management of pain especially during the first 24 hours of an episode of AOM,
should be addressed, regardless of the use of antibacterial agents. The use of
Paracetamol (10-15 mkdose) or Ibuprofen ( 5-10 mkdose ) provides effective analgesia
for mild to moderate pain, is readily available and is a mainstay of pain management for
acute otitis media.10,11,12
Grade C Recommendation
Grade B recommendation
Identified risk factors include early age of onset (less than 6 months), attendance in
day care or crowded living conditions, low income bracket families, previous recent intake
of antibiotics, cleft palate and other craniofacial abnormalities, recurrent airway infection,
history of bottle feeding, exposure to smoking, allergy, family history of recurrent AOM in
sibling or parent. 8
Grade A Recommendation
There are numerous medications that are effective for AOM, Amoxicillin is
recommended as a first-line therapy because of its general effectiveness when used in
sufficient doses against susceptible and intermediate resistant pneumococci, as well as
its safety, low-cost, acceptable taste, and narrow microbiologic spectrum. 3
Grade C Recommendation
For patients who are allergic to penicillin, and suspected to be infected by penicillin
resistant S pneumoniae, clindamycin (30 mkday TID) can be used. A single dose of
parenteral ceftriaxone (50 mg/kg) has been shown to be effective for patients who cannot
tolerate the oral form of antibiotic treatment. 3
6. Duration of antibiotic treatment should depend on the age of the patient and
disease severity.
Grade A Recommendation
The optimal duration of therapy for patients with AOM is still controversial. In a
Cochrane review, the summary odds ratio (OR) for treatment outcomes at eight to 19
days in 1,524 children treated with short-acting antibiotics for five days versus eight to 10
days was 1.52, 95% CI: 1.17-1.98, but by 20 to 30 days outcomes between treatment
groups (n=2,115) were comparable (OR=1.22, 95% CI:0.98-1.54). The absolute
difference in treatment failure at 20 to 30 days suggests that at minimum 17 children
would need to be treated with the long course of short-acting antibiotics to avoid one
treatment failure. Similarity in outcomes was observed for up to three months following
therapy (OR=1.16,95% CI=0.9-1.5). Comparable outcomes were shown between
treatment with ceftriaxone or azithromycin, and more than seven days of other antibiotics.
This review suggested that five days of short-acting antibiotic is effective treatment
for uncomplicated ear infections in children. Although, in another CPG, they pointed out
that the results favoring standard 10-day course have been most significant in children
younger than 2 years and suggestive of increased efficacy in those 2 to 5 years of age.
Thus, for younger patients (< 6 years old), and for children with severe disease, a
standard 10-day course is recommended. For children, 6 years of age and older with
mild to moderate disease, a 5-7 day course is appropriate. 3,15,16
7. If the patient fails to respond to the initial management option within 48-72 hours,
the clinician must reassess the patient to look for possible complications and
exclude other causes of illness.
7.1. If the patient was initially managed with observation, management options
include initiating antibacterial therapy.
7.2. If the patient was initially managed with an antibacterial agent (s),
management options include 1) increasing the dose of Amoxicillin to 80-90
mkday; 2) change the antibacterial agent(s); or 3) perform myringotomy in
addition to modified antibacterial therapy
Grade C Recommendation
The time course for clinical response should be 48-72 hours. Criteria for response
are the following: 1) defervescence within 48-72 hours, 2) decreased irritability and 3)
sleeping/ eating patterns should begin to normalize. If AOM is confirmed in the patient
initially managed with observation, the clinician should begin antibacterial therapy.
Amoxicillin 40-50 mkday should be the first line of treatment (see recommendations 3
and 4).
If the patient was initially managed with an antibacterial agent (s), the clinician should
increase the Amoxicillin to 80-90 mkday17,18,19 or change the antibacterial agent(s).
Second line antibacterial agents that can be considered are summarized in the table
below.
Grade A Recommendation
Complicated acute otitis media includes patients with 1) severe otalgia and serious
illness 2) unsatisfactory response to initial optimal antibacterial therapy 3) associated with
a confirmed or potential suppurative complication 4) immunologically deficient patient any
of whom may harbor an unusual organism. There is lack of evidence regarding the
management of AOM in this special group of patients and since the benefit of treating
them far outweighs the foreseen harm, the panel recommends immediate treatment.
Grade A Recommendation
Y N
Treatmen N
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References
3. American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians treatment guidelines for
uncomplicated acute otitis media. Pediatrics. 2004.
5. World Health Organization. World Development Report 1993: investing in health 1993;Oxford University Press.
8. Rosenfeld RM and Bluestone CD. Evidence-Based Otitis Media. Hamilton: B.C.Decker Inc. 1999.
10. Bertin L. Pons G, d’Athis P et al. a randomized, double blind, multicentre controlled trial of Ibuprofen versus
acetaminophen and placebo for symptoms of acute otitis media in children. Fundam Clin Pharmacol. 1996;
10:387-92.
11. Goldman RD, Ko K, Linett LJ, Scolnik D. Antipyretic Efficacy and Safety of Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen in
Children. Ann Phramacother 2004; 38:P 146-50.
12. Li SF, Lacher B, Crain EF.Acetaminophen and ibuprofen dosing by parents. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2000
Dec;16(6):394-.
13. Carlos, Celia Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Data 1998 to 2002. DOH Committee on Antimicrobial
Resistance Surveillance
15. Kozyrskyj, AL; Hildes-Ripstein, GE; Longstaffe, SEA; Wincott, JL; Sitar, DS; Klassen, TP; Moffatt, MEK. Short
course antibiotics for acute otitis media [Review]. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The
Cochrane Library, Copyright 2005, The Cochrane Collaboration, Volume (2); 2005
16. Cohen, R. Levy C. Boucherat M., Langue, J, de La Roque, F. A multicenter, randomized, double blind trial of 5
versus 10 days of antibiotic therapy for acute otitis media in young children. J Pediatr 1998 5;634-639.
17. Bottenfeld G, Burch D, Hedrick J, Schaten R, Rowinski, C, Davies, J. Safety and Tolerability of a new
formulation (90 mkday divided every 12h) of amoxicillin/ clavulanate in the empiric treatment of pediatric acute
otitis media caused by drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pediatr Infect Dis J, 1998 17(10);963-968.
18. Piglansky L, Leibovitz E, Raiz S, Greenberg D, Press J, Leiberman A, Dagan R. Bacteriologic And Clinical
Efficacy Of High Dose Amoxicillin For Therapy Of Acute Otitis Media In Children. Pediatr Infect Dis J,
2003;22:405–12 Vol. 22, No. 5.
19. Dowell, SF. Acute Otitis Media: management and surveillance in an era of pneumococcal resistance- a report
from the Drug resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Therapeutic Working Group. Pediatr Clin North Am; 18:1.
20. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Evidence Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Medical
Management of Acute Otitis Media. October 29, 2004
22. Flynn CA, Griffin GH, Schultz, JK. Decongestants and antihistamines for acute otitis media in children. The
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The Cochrane Library. 2005
Guidelines Reviewed
1. Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). Diagnosis and Treatment of Otitis Media in Children.
Bloomington (MN): Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2004 May. 27 p. [58 references]
2. Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Diagnosis and Management of Childhood Otitis Media in Primary
Care, A National Clinical Guideline. 2003
3. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Evidence Based Clinical Practice Guideline for Medical
Management of Acute Otitis Media. October 29, 2004
4. University of Michigan Health System Guidelines for Clinical Care of Otitis Media. May 2002
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