These authors contributed equally to this work.
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REGULAR ARTICLE
Pneumococcal vaccination in children at risk of developing recurrent acute otitis media – a randomized study
Article first published online: 27 MAY 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02332.x
© 2011 The Author(s)/Acta Pædiatrica © 2011 Foundation Acta Pædiatrica
Additional Information
How to Cite
Gisselsson-Solén, M., Melhus, Å. and Hermansson, A. (2011), Pneumococcal vaccination in children at risk of developing recurrent acute otitis media – a randomized study. Acta Paediatrica, 100: 1354–1358. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2011.02332.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 15 SEP 2011
- Article first published online: 27 MAY 2011
- Accepted manuscript online: 22 APR 2011 10:38AM EST
- Received 3 February 2011; revised 12 April 2011; accepted 19 April 2011.
Keywords:
- Conjugate vaccines;
- PCV7;
- Recurrent acute otitis media;
- Vaccination;
- Ventilation tube treatment
Abstract
Aim: Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood disease, which often becomes recurrent (rAOM). A small reduction in AOM episodes has been noted in unselected child cohorts after vaccination with heptavalent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine (PCV7). The purpose of this study was to investigate how vaccination affects young children at risk of developing rAOM.
Methods: Ninety-six children with an AOM onset before 6 months of age, implying a high risk for rAOM, were closely monitored until the age of 2 years. Forty-six were vaccinated with PCV7 and 50 were not. All episodes of AOM, emergency visits and ventilation tube insertions were registered.
Results: A total of 363 AOM episodes were diagnosed. The incidence was reduced by 26% (p = 0.03), the number of emergency visits because of suspected AOM by 36% (p = 0.01) and the proportion of children who received ventilation tubes was halved in the vaccine group (p = 0.02).
Conclusions: During the first 2 years of life, PCV7 significantly reduced AOM episodes, emergency visits and ventilation tube insertions in children with rAOM. Pneumococcal vaccine may be a future route to reduce antibiotic use and health care consumption in otitis-prone children.