Trends in antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media and treatment failure in children, 2000-2011.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Guidelines to treat acute otitis media (AOM) were published in 2004. Initial declines in prescribing were shown, but it's unknown if they were sustained. We examine trends in antibiotic dispensing patterns to treat AOM among a large population of children. We also document trends in antibiotic failure.

Study design

Children aged 3 months to 12 years with an AOM diagnosis, enrolled in a commercial claims database between January 1, 2000-December 31, 2011 were included. Pharmacy claims within 7 days of diagnosis were searched for antibiotic prescriptions. Antibiotic failure was defined as a dispensing of a different antibiotic class within 2-18 days after the first prescription. We analyzed trends in antibiotic use and failure by class of antibiotic and year.

Res

SUBMITTER: McGrath LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3852237 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature