TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR RECURRENT ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA IN CHILDREN: A SCOPING REVIEW
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Objective: To synthesize the evidence regarding therapeutic interventions for recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) in children. Methods: A scoping review was conducted by searching PubMed and Google Scholar for English-language articles on recurrent acute otitis media in children, published between January 2015 and December 2024. Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, covering interventions such as tympanostomy tube (TT) insertion, probiotic supplementation, pneumococcal conjugate vaccination, xylitol, Mediterranean diet, herbal medicine, and orthodontic treatment. TT placement reduced the number of recurrences and antibiotic use during the first year; however, these benefits were not sustained after two years. Oral or intranasal probiotic administration decreased recurrence episodes by 30–84% and short-term antibiotic consumption by 24–66% within a six-month period. Other interventions also showed preliminary efficacy, with the strongest evidence supporting pneumococcal conjugate vaccination. Conclusion: Multiple strategies may reduce recurrence rates and antibiotic requirements in children with rAOM. Nevertheless, given limitations in study design and follow-up duration, the overall strength of evidence remains low. Further large-scale, long-term studies are warranted to confirm both the effectiveness and safety of these modalities.
Keywords
recurrent acute otitis media, tympanostomy tubes, probiotics, pneumococcal vaccine, xylitol, Mediterranean diet
Article Details
References
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