Acute Otitis Media
Conditions
Brief summary
This is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled one-center study carried out in primary care setting of the health center of City of Turku, Finland. The study patients will be allocated to one of the two parallel treatment groups (amoxicillin-clavulanate or placebo). The hypothesis is that the symptoms and signs of acute otitis media are resolved more effectively with antimicrobial treatment than with placebo. Furthermore, this study aims at finding out prognostic factors that could help to direct antimicrobial treatment for correct subgroups of young patients.
Interventions
Amoxicillin clavulanate 40 mg/kg/day divided into two daily doses for 7 days. Capsules will be produced by pulverizing amoxicillin clavulanate tablets (Augmentin 875 mg; manufacturer Glaxo SmithKline Beecham; ATC Code: J01CR02) and mixing that with lactose monohydrate. Each capsule will contain Augmentin tablet powder 68 mg and lactose monohydrate 572 mg. This means amoxicillin 40 mg and clavulanate 5,7 mg respecting the dose per 2 kg.
DRUGPlacebo
Placebo twice a day for 7 days. Placebo capsules contain lactose monohydrate 640 mg.
Sponsors
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare
University of Turku
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Months to 35 Months
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Acute otitis media * Age 6 - 35 mo
Exclusion criteria
* Spontaneous perforation of the tympanic membrane and drainage * Systemic or nasal corticosteroid therapy within 3 preceding days * Antihistamine therapy with 3 preceding days * Oseltamivir therapy within 3 preceding days * Allergy to amoxicillin/penicillin * Tympanostomy tube present in tympanic membrane * Clinical evidence of infection requiring systemic antimicrobial treatment * Documented Ebstein Barr virus infection within 7 preceding days * Down syndrome or other condition to affect middle ear infections * Known immunodeficiency * Vomiting or another symptom to violate per oral dosage * Poor parental co-operation due to language or other reasons * Use of any investigational drugs during the 4 preceding weeks
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Compare time to treatment failure in children receiving amoxicillin-clavulanate to children receiving placebo | During the first 8 days of follow-up |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Time to resolution of acute inflammatory signs of middle ear | Duration of study |
| Compare the 2 treatment groups regarding the doses of analgesic medication and number of days analgesics are administered by children's parents | First 7 days of follow-up |
| Compare the 2 treatment groups regarding the number of days with absenteeism from day care and/or parental absenteeism from work | First 7 days of follow-up |
| Time to resolution of symptoms in children receiving amoxicillin-clavulanate to children receiving placebo | Duration of study |
| Time to resolution of middle ear fluid in the ear(s) that is affected on study day 1 | Duration of study |
| Time to relapse of acute otitis media | Study days 9-17 |
| Time to first reinfection of acute otitis media | From study day 18 to the end of follow-up |
| Compare the incidence of adverse events accompanying the 2 treatment regimens | Duration of study |
Countries
Finland
Outcome results
None listed