Do Antibiotics Improve the Treatment of Acute Otitis Media?

In children, treating otitis media, which includes both acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion, costs an estimated $2 billion annually. A 2001 evidence report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality focused on the management of uncomplicated acute otitis media in children, and concluded that treatment with ampicillin or amoxicillin reduced clinical failure rates when compared with observation. The Study: The authors conducted a meta-analysis of six key questions that addressed the following topics: accuracy in the diagnosis of uncomplicated acute otitis media; effect of PCV7 immunization on acute otitis media microbial epidemiology; effectiveness of treatment options for uncomplicated acute otitis media; effectiveness of treatment options for recurrent otitis media; treatment outcomes for specific subpopulations; and the adverse effects of available treatment options.