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Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Antibiotics May Boost Risk for Recurrent Ear Infection in Children
In a study released by the British Medical Journal, researchers found that repeated use of antibiotics to treat acute ear infections in young children increases the risk of recurrent ear infections by 20 percent.
The study included 168 children, 6 months to 2 years old, who were given antibiotics to treat an ear infection. Researchers found that 63 percent of the children who were given the antibiotic amoxicillin experienced a recurrent ear infection within three years, compared with 43 percent of children given a placebo at the time of their initial ear infection. However, the study also found that 30 percent of children in the placebo group had ear, nose, and throat surgery after their initial infection, compared with 21 percent in the amoxicillin group.
According to researchers, the higher recurrence rate among children who took amoxicillin could be due to a weakening of their body’s natural immune response as a result of taking an antibiotic at the initial stage of infection. Antibiotic use in such cases may cause an “unfavorable shift” toward the growth of resistant bacteria. Researchers say that antibiotics may reduce the length and severity of the initial ear infection, but may also result in a higher number of recurrent infections and antibiotic resistance.
For more information see: http://drugs.com/new/antibiotics-may-boost-risk-recurrent-ear-infection-18591.html
The study included 168 children, 6 months to 2 years old, who were given antibiotics to treat an ear infection. Researchers found that 63 percent of the children who were given the antibiotic amoxicillin experienced a recurrent ear infection within three years, compared with 43 percent of children given a placebo at the time of their initial ear infection. However, the study also found that 30 percent of children in the placebo group had ear, nose, and throat surgery after their initial infection, compared with 21 percent in the amoxicillin group.
According to researchers, the higher recurrence rate among children who took amoxicillin could be due to a weakening of their body’s natural immune response as a result of taking an antibiotic at the initial stage of infection. Antibiotic use in such cases may cause an “unfavorable shift” toward the growth of resistant bacteria. Researchers say that antibiotics may reduce the length and severity of the initial ear infection, but may also result in a higher number of recurrent infections and antibiotic resistance.
For more information see: http://drugs.com/new/antibiotics-may-boost-risk-recurrent-ear-infection-18591.html
Labels: amoxicillin, antibiotics, babies, British Medical Journal, children, ear infection
posted by
Chavon Williams
at
10:08 AM
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