Sulfisoxazole prophylaxis of middle ear effusion and recurrent acute otitis media
I. Varsano, B. Volovitz and F. Mimouni
The efficacy of sulfisoxazole prophylaxis was evaluated in 32 otitis-prone
children in a double-blind cross-over clinical trial. During the
sulfisoxazole therapy, seven patients (22%) had nine episodes of acute
otitis media (AOM) while 20 patients (63%) receiving placebo had 36
episodes of AOM (P = .001). Although sulfisoxazole appeared to be
beneficial in patients aged 2 to 5 years, statistically significant
efficacy was noted only in children under 2 years of age. Otitis media with
effusion persisting for more than five weeks was observed in ten children
(31%) during sulfisoxazole therapy and in 14 children (44%) during the
placebo period (P greater than .975). Sulfisoxazole therefore appears
effective in preventing recurrent symptomatic AOM but not in reducing the
frequency of persistent otitis media with effusion. The importance of
careful follow-up of children receiving long-term sulfisoxazole therapy for
prevention of recurrent AOM is stressed.
