This editorial in CMAJ is wonderful. The authors summarize a recent paper in that jornal that found a small difference in outcomes between patients who received amoxicillin and those who received placebo. 86% of patients who received placebo – and 92% of those who received amoxicillin had resolution of disease. The editorial appropriately points out that this small difference should not cause us to think that antibiotics are appropriate for first-line treatment of AOM. The NNT remains ~ 11 for treatment of AOM with antibiotics. Do we really want those 10 extra kids treated? … No. of course not.
Otitis Media: hold the antibiotics
Published