INTRAMUSCULAR CEFTRIAXONE AS SINGLE DOSE TREATMENT OF ACUTE OTITIS MEDIA

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate single dose intramuscular ceftriaxone as an option for the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM). To compare efficacy of single dose intramuscular ceftriaxone to 10 days treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate combination.
Design: Prospective, randomized, double blind control study.
Place and duration: Combined Military Hospital Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, over a period of 02 years from October 2006 to September 2008.
Patients and methods: A total of 148 freshly diagnosed cases of AOM between ages 03months to 6 years were recruited and divided randomly into two equal groups of 74 each using random numbers table. Group I was administered oral amoxicillin-clavulanate in a dose of 45mg/kg/day in three divided doses along with single intramuscular shot of placebo. Group II was given a single shot of intramuscular ceftriaxone in a dose of 50mg/kg along with placebo syrup thrice a day for 10 days. Patients were reassessed at day 03 and 11.
Results: Ninety four point five percent of patients responded to amoxicillin-clavulanate whereas 95.9% responded to single dose IM ceftriaxone. No significant difference was noted between the two types of treatments in term of disease outcome.
Conclusion: Single dose intramuscular ceftriaxone can be another option for the treatment of AOM especially in children/parents with poor compliance.