[tri-med] FYI - Quality of life in children with acute otitis media

I am forwarding this article or URL for your information (FYI) as I believe
it may be of interest and is from a reliable source. As always, check the
information with your own doctor or health care professional before starting
or changing any treatments.

http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/Journals/content/abstracts/coa/2001/26/4/abstract_coa479-19.asp?journal=coa&issueid=7157&artid=1313
71&cid=coa.2001.4&ftype=abstracts

Clinical Otolaryngology & Allied Sciences 26 (4), 345-345
© Blackwell Science Ltd

Quality of life in children with acute otitis media (OMAVAX)
T.E. Kasteel, R.H. Veenhoven, A.R. Maillé, E.A.M. Sanders and A.G.M. Schilder

Haarlem, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Introduction. The objective was to measure the influence of recurrent acute 
otitis media (AOM) on the quality of life (QoL) in
children. This study is part of the OMAVAX trial into the efficacy of 
vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in children
with recurrent AOM.

Methods. QoL was measured in 306 children, aged 1-6 years, with validated 
questionnaires, RAND (general health), FS II R (FS-g =
functional status in general, FS-s = illness-specific functional status), OM-6 
(ear related QoL) and a self-developed questionnaire
to measure family burden.

Results. Children with four or more AOM episodes a year, so-called otitis-prone 
children, scored significantly worse than children
with two or three AOM episodes a year on the RAND (P = 0.005), FS II R (FS-g P 
= 0.007; FS-s P = 0.003) and the OM-6 (P = 0.001).
The parents of otitis-prone children do not experience a heavier family burden 
than parents of children with two or three AOM
episodes (P = 0.1).

Conclusion. Recurrent AOM has a negative influence on the QoL in children and 
symptoms increase with the number of AOM episodes.
Prevention of AOM, for example by vaccination with a pneumococcal vaccine, 
would be valuable.

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