PREVENTION OF RECURRENT ACUTE OTITIS-MEDIA IN OTITIS-PRONE CHILDREN BY INTERMITTENT PROPHYLAXIS WITH PENICILLIN

The question whether pencilling V (peV) given intermittently upon sign s of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in otitis-prone childre n might prevent recurrent bouts of acute purulent otitis media (AOM) i s addressed. As compared with continuous long-term antibiotic treatmen t as prophylaxis in otitis-prone children, intermittent administration would reduce the overall consumption of antibiotics. Seventy-six otit is-prone children less than 18 months of age were included in this dou ble-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicentre study. Follow-up was from January till June. One hundred and twenty-three episodes of AOM occurred. The number of AOM episodes was reduced by 50% in the chi ldren on pcV during URTI episodes as compared with those on placebo. N o obvious ecological drawbacks were noted. Thus, the described mode of pcV administration seems to be a rational and safe way to reduce the number of AOM episodes in otitis-prone children.