Efficacy of cefixime in the treatment of acute otitis media in children
M. J. Owen, R. Anwar, H. K. Nguyen, P. R. Swank, E. R. Bannister and V. M. Howie
Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0319.
OBJECTIVE--To compare the efficacy of cefixime with amoxicillin in the
treatment of acute otitis media in children. DESIGN--Randomized, nonblinded
study. SETTING--General pediatric clinic at a university hospital in Texas.
PARTICIPANTS--A volunteer sample of 201 children, aged 2 months through 6
years. INTERVENTIONS--A 10-day oral course of cefixime (8 mg/kg per day
administered once daily) or amoxicillin (40 mg/kg per day administered in
three divided doses [every 8 hours]). MEASUREMENTS/MAIN
RESULTS--Tympanocentesis for bacterial culture was performed on all
affected ears on enrollment and after 4 to 6 days of therapy. The patients
were evaluated clinically 4 to 6 days after starting therapy, at the end of
therapy, and 3 to 4 weeks after therapy was completed. Using Fisher's Exact
Test, no significant difference was found between the two treatment groups
for rate of clinical improvement or rate of eradication of Haemophilus
influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, combining the results
from this study and two previously reported studies, cefixime was found to
be more effective in eradication of H influenzae and less effective in
eradication of S pneumoniae.
