Treatment of Otitis Media with Observation and a Safety-Net Antibiotic Prescription
In “Treatment of Otitis Media with Observation and a Safety-Net Antibiotic Prescription,” researchers lead by Dr. Robert M. Siegel attempted to decrease the number of prescriptions filled for acute otitis media (AOM) in children by providing a safety-net antibiotic prescription (SNAP) only to be filled if symptoms do not resolve within 48 hours rather than by immediately prescribing an antibiotic. While cases of AOM in children in the United States have traditionally been treated with antibiotics, there is growing concern about the relationship between overuse of antibiotics and bacterial resistance to antibiotics. AOM also has a high likelihood of spontaneous resolution.
Children between the ages of 1 and 12 who presented with uncomplicated AOM in participating medical practices in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana were eligible for participation in the study. Parents and guardians were given a SNAP and told not to fill it unless symptoms persisted or worsened after 48 hours. During this time they were instructed to take pain-reducing medication. 31% of participations who were contacted for follow-up had filled their antibiotic prescription, and 63% of parents and guardians reported willingness to treat future instances of AOM with pain medication alone. These results suggest that use of a SNAP could safely reduce the use of antibiotics in children with uncomplicated AOM and that parents would be willing to comply with this new treatment strategy.
