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Short antibiotic use in children with otitis media not beneficial
An acute middle ear infection is an extremely painful and unpleasant illness. Often children are affected by this disease. Mostly antibiotics are needed to avoid possible complications and consequential damages. But this leads to increased antibiotic resistance. For this reason, physicians try to keep the duration of treatment as short as possible. Researchers have now found that a shorter use of antibiotics, while less effective, does not lead to less resistance.
Researchers at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh found in a study that reducing the use of antibiotics in children makes the treatment of acute otitis media less effective, but does not result in reduced antibiotic resistance or fewer side effects. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "New England Journal of Medicine".
Especially small children often get acute middle ear infection. The treatment is then usually antibiotics used. But ingestion can lead to increased resistance of bacterial strains. For this reason, physicians are now investigating the effects of shorter antibiotic treatment. (Photo: topshots / fotolia.com) Experts are looking for ways to reduce treatment duration with antibiotics
Researchers worldwide have long been looking for ways to prevent the unnecessary use of antibiotics. For this reason, experts are trying to reduce the duration of treatment with antibiotics for some common infections. The aim is to prevent the emergence of resistance to antibiotics.
Physicians are examining 520 children with otitis media
The current study involved 520 children between the ages of 6 and 23 months. All children were diagnosed with acute otitis media, say the authors. This type of disease is especially common in small children.
Subjects were divided into two groups
Half of the children studied received the antibiotic amoxicillin clavulanate for ten days. The other half of the subjects received the drug for five days and a placebo for another five days, the researchers explain. The parents did not know what kind of treatment individual children received.
Physicians repeatedly examine subjects for resistant bacteria
The severity of symptoms was monitored in the participating children. Subjects had to visit doctors regularly to have their health checked, the doctors say. In case of illnesses additional medical visits were necessary. The researchers also checked whether resistant bacteria could be found in the children.
Shortness of antibiotics leads to more unsuccessful treatments
The physicians found that the treatment was unsuccessful in 34 percent of children with a shorter antibiotic intake. In children with a longer treatment with antibiotics, the value was only 16 percent. The symptoms of the disease were also stronger in the group with the shorter treatment regimen, the experts add. In addition, no difference was found between the two groups when it came to the rate of colonization with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Side effects are not lower with shorter intake of antibiotics
The results were a surprise, the author says. Alejandro Hoberman from the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh. "I expected the shorter use of antibiotics to lead to fewer side effects. But the rates of diarrhea and diaper rash (typical side effects of antibiotics) were similar in both groups, "adds the expert.
Further research is needed
The results of the study should not be generalized, however, if the subjects are children over the age of two or adults, the authors of the study explain. The idea of reducing the optimal dose of antibiotics in some contexts makes sense. For this, however, further research remains essential. Only then can the optimal duration of a therapy be determined exactly, say the experts.
Antibiotic use should be limited to bacterial infections
Another principle of the strategy is to limit the use of antibiotics to bacterial infections. Parents often come to the doctor if their children suffer from upper respiratory infections. But most of these diseases are caused by a virus. In this form of the disease, the intake of antibiotics is not helpful, explain the scientists.
Antibiotics must be used properly
Antibiotics can be life-saving if the drug is used properly. But every use of antibiotics carries an additional risk for the emergence of antibiotic resistance, the researchers concluded. (As)