2002

Study Resolves Dispute Over Treating Ear Infections

Antibiotic Use Can Be Decreased

Monday, May 06, 2002

CINCINNATI -- Pediatricians often struggle to properly treat children's ear infections. They know that most ear infections can be managed without antibiotics, yet parents often put on a full-court-press for a prescription, which can lead to drug resistant organisms.

A new Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study shows that a solution to this dispute that originated overseas also is acceptable to parents in the United States. The study demonstrates that antibiotic use can be decreased with acute otitis media (ear infections) by prescribing a "safety net" prescription for antibiotics to be filled if symptoms do not resolve after 48 hours.

"Parents find a safety net prescription acceptable in the treatment of acute otitis media if pain control medication is also prescribed," says Robert Siegel, MD, the study's main author. Dr. Siegel is medical director of the Cincinnati Pediatric Research Group (CPRG), a network of practice-based pediatricians in the Cincinnati area. CPRG is affiliated with and supported by Cincinnati Children's division of General and Community Pediatrics.

The researchers enrolled in the study 179 children with acute otitis media from 11 pediatric offices over an 11-month period. Families were given either acetaminophen, ibuprofen and/or auralgan otic drops for pain control. They were also given a prescription for an antibiotic and were instructed not to fill it unless symptoms either increased or did not resolve after 48 hours. Only 47 of 153 families contacted for follow-up filled their prescriptions.

"Parents were overwhelmingly willing to treat acute otitis media with pain medication, compared to their previous experience," says Dr. Siegel, medical director, St. Luke Pediatric Centers. "Nearly 80 percent reported that the pain medication was effective, and 62.8 percent reported that they would be willing to treat future episodes without antibiotics and with pain medication alone."

The study was presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in Baltimore.