Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T04:40:34.556Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Otitis media with effusion: can erythromycin reduce the need for ventilating tubes?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Per Møller  and
Gjert Dingsør
Per Møller*
Affiliation:
Bergen, Norway
Gjert Dingsør
Affiliation:
Bergen, Norway
*
per Møller, University of Bergen, Haukeland University Hospital, Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, N-5021 Bergen, Norway.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a common condition among children and is characterized by nonpurulent fluid in the middle ear and fluctuating conductive hearing loss. Most children will spontaneously regain normal air-filled middle ears, but a certain number will have persistent problems. In our department we will treat annually about 500 children on an outpatient basis, with the insertion of ventilating tubes in the eardrum. The reason for this study was to evaluate the effect of erythromycin, instead of inserting a ventilation tube, in children with bilateral OME of longer duration than three months (double blind/placebo). The study comprises 147 children, 1–15 years of age, 83 boys and 64 girls, all with OME for more than three months. All the patients were candidates for tube insertion. In the group treated with erythromycin, 12 patients out of 69 had bilaterally air-filled middle ears after one month, as compared to 19 out of 72 in the group treated with the placebo. No difference was noted due to sex or age. The results support our indication and timing for ventilation tube insertion.

Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 104 , Issue 3 , March 1990 , pp. 200 - 202
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cantekin, E. I., Mandel, E. M., Bluestone, C. D., Rockette, H. E., Paradise, J. L., Stool, S. E., Fria, T. J., Rogers, K. D. (1983) Lack of efficacy of a decongestant-antihistamine combination for otitis media with effusion (‘secretory’ otitis media) in children. New England Journal of Medicine, 308: 297–301.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ernstson, S., Sundberg, L. (1984) Erythromycin in the treatment of otitis media with effusions. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 8: 767–769.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Healy, G. B. (1983) Antimicrobial therapy of chronic otitis media with effusion. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 8: 13–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laurell, A. B., Nilsson, N. I., Prellner, K. (1980) Immune complexes and complement in serous and mucoid otitis media. Acta Otolaryngologica, 90: 290–296.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, Y. S., Lim, D. J., Lang, R. W., Birck, H. G. (1975) Chronic middle ear effusions. Immunochemical and bacteriological investigations. Archives of Otolaryngology, 101: 278–286.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lorentzen, P., Haugsten, P. (1978) Treatment of acute otitis media. Tidskrift for den norske laegeforening, 98: 1273–1275.Google Scholar
Marks, N. J., Mills, R. P., Shaheen, O. H. (1981) A controlled trial of contrimoxazole therapy in serous otitis media. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 95: 1003–1009.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marks, N. J., Mills, R. P., Shaheen, O. H. (1983) Cotrimoxazole in the treatment of serous otitis. A follow-up report. Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 97: 213–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sade, J. (1979) Secretory otitis media and its sequelae. Churchill Livingstone, Ed 1 New York, Edinburgh and London.Google Scholar
Stenfors, L. E., Raisanen, S. (1989) Colonization of middle ear pathogens in the nasopharyngeal opening of the Eustachian tube during secretory otitis media. Acta Otolaryngologica, 107: 104–110.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sundberg, I., Cederberg, Å., Eden, T., Ernstson, S. (1981) Bacteriology in secretory otitis media. Acta Otolaryngologica. Supplement, 384: 18–25.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sundberg, L. (1984) Antibiotic treatment of secretory otitis media. Acta Otolaryngologica. Supplement, 407: 26–29.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thomsen, J. (1985) Long-term antibiotic treatment of children with secretory otitis media in: Acute and secretory otitis media, (Sade, J. ed.) Kugler Publication, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Tos, M., Poulsen, G., Borch, J. (1979) Etiologic factors in secretory otitis. Archives of Otolaryngology, 105: 582–588.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed