A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care

Objectives: To determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of topical mometasone in children with bilateral otitis media with effusion (OME). Design: A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial with an intention to treat analysis; the 10.6% of patients lost to follow-up at 1 m...

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Main Authors: I Williamson, S Benge, S Barton, S Petrou, L Letley, N Fasey, G Abangma, H Dakin, P Little
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: NIHR Journals Library 2009-08-01
Series:Health Technology Assessment
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3310/hta13370
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author I Williamson
S Benge
S Barton
S Petrou
L Letley
N Fasey
G Abangma
H Dakin
P Little
author_facet I Williamson
S Benge
S Barton
S Petrou
L Letley
N Fasey
G Abangma
H Dakin
P Little
author_sort I Williamson
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: To determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of topical mometasone in children with bilateral otitis media with effusion (OME). Design: A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial with an intention to treat analysis; the 10.6% of patients lost to follow-up at 1 month were censored in the analysis. Setting: 76 Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework practices throughout the UK between 2004 and 2007. Participants: A sample of 217 children aged 4–11 years was selected from those presenting to their GP with one or more episodes of otitis media or ear-related problems in the previous 12 months whom the research nurse confirmed had bilateral glue ear using microtympanometry (B B or B C2 types using a modified Jerger classification) at randomisation. Interventions: Mometasone 50 µg in each nostril or placebo spray once daily for 3 months. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the proportions of children cleared of OME assessed by tympanometry at 1 month. Secondary outcomes included clearance at 3 months and 9 months; adverse events; OM8-30 scores (a functional health status responsive disease-specific measure); hearing loss; days with otalgia; cost-effectiveness; and health utilities. Results: Of the topical steroid group, 40.6% (39/96) demonstrated tympanometric clearance (C1 or A type) in one or both ears at 1 month, compared with 44.9% (44/98) of the placebo group. The absolute risk reduction at 1 month was –4.3% (95% CI –18.05% to 9.26%); the odds ratio (OR) was 0.84 (95% CI 0.48 to 1.48). Four covariates were pre-specified for inclusion in logistic regression analysis: age as a continuous variable (p = 0.94), season (p = 0.70), atopy (p = 0.61) and clinical severity (p = 0.006). The adjusted OR (AOR) at 1 month for the main outcome was 0.93 (95% CI 0.50 to 1.75). Secondary analysis at 3 months showed 58.1% of the steroid group had resolved and 52.3% of the placebo group, AOR 1.45 (95% CI 0.74 to 2.84). At 9 months 55.6% of the treated group remained clear in at least one ear and 65.3% of the placebo group, AOR 0.82 (95% CI 0.39 to 1.75). Adverse events (although relatively minor) occurred in 7–22% of children and included nasal stinging, epistaxis, dry throat and cough. The OM8-30 scores (p = 0.55) reported hearing difficulty (p = 0.08), and days with otalgia (p = 0.46) were not significantly different between groups at 3 months. The economic evaluation found the active treatment arm to be dominated by placebo, accruing slightly (but not significantly) higher costs and fewer quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), with a 24.2% probability that topical steroids are a cost-effective use of NHS resources at a ceiling ratio of £20,000 per QALY gained. Conclusions: Use of topical intranasal corticosteroids is very unlikely to be a clinically effective treatment for OME (glue ear) in the primary care setting. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN38988331.
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spelling doaj.art-2b8069bd12074e05bd86bdc4a06b666f2022-12-22T01:53:36ZengNIHR Journals LibraryHealth Technology Assessment1366-52782046-49242009-08-01133710.3310/hta1337001/72/02A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary careI Williamson0S Benge1S Barton2S Petrou3L Letley4N Fasey5G Abangma6H Dakin7P Little8Primary Medical Care, University of Southampton, Aldermoor Health Centre, Southampton, UKPrimary Medical Care, University of Southampton, Aldermoor Health Centre, Southampton, UKUniversity of Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, UKHealth Economics Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford, UKMedical Research Council General Practice Research Framework, London, UKMedical Research Council General Practice Research Framework, London, UKHealth Economics Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford, UKHealth Economics Research Centre, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Headington, Oxford, UKPrimary Medical Care, University of Southampton, Aldermoor Health Centre, Southampton, UKObjectives: To determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of topical mometasone in children with bilateral otitis media with effusion (OME). Design: A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial with an intention to treat analysis; the 10.6% of patients lost to follow-up at 1 month were censored in the analysis. Setting: 76 Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework practices throughout the UK between 2004 and 2007. Participants: A sample of 217 children aged 4–11 years was selected from those presenting to their GP with one or more episodes of otitis media or ear-related problems in the previous 12 months whom the research nurse confirmed had bilateral glue ear using microtympanometry (B B or B C2 types using a modified Jerger classification) at randomisation. Interventions: Mometasone 50 µg in each nostril or placebo spray once daily for 3 months. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was the proportions of children cleared of OME assessed by tympanometry at 1 month. Secondary outcomes included clearance at 3 months and 9 months; adverse events; OM8-30 scores (a functional health status responsive disease-specific measure); hearing loss; days with otalgia; cost-effectiveness; and health utilities. Results: Of the topical steroid group, 40.6% (39/96) demonstrated tympanometric clearance (C1 or A type) in one or both ears at 1 month, compared with 44.9% (44/98) of the placebo group. The absolute risk reduction at 1 month was –4.3% (95% CI –18.05% to 9.26%); the odds ratio (OR) was 0.84 (95% CI 0.48 to 1.48). Four covariates were pre-specified for inclusion in logistic regression analysis: age as a continuous variable (p = 0.94), season (p = 0.70), atopy (p = 0.61) and clinical severity (p = 0.006). The adjusted OR (AOR) at 1 month for the main outcome was 0.93 (95% CI 0.50 to 1.75). Secondary analysis at 3 months showed 58.1% of the steroid group had resolved and 52.3% of the placebo group, AOR 1.45 (95% CI 0.74 to 2.84). At 9 months 55.6% of the treated group remained clear in at least one ear and 65.3% of the placebo group, AOR 0.82 (95% CI 0.39 to 1.75). Adverse events (although relatively minor) occurred in 7–22% of children and included nasal stinging, epistaxis, dry throat and cough. The OM8-30 scores (p = 0.55) reported hearing difficulty (p = 0.08), and days with otalgia (p = 0.46) were not significantly different between groups at 3 months. The economic evaluation found the active treatment arm to be dominated by placebo, accruing slightly (but not significantly) higher costs and fewer quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), with a 24.2% probability that topical steroids are a cost-effective use of NHS resources at a ceiling ratio of £20,000 per QALY gained. Conclusions: Use of topical intranasal corticosteroids is very unlikely to be a clinically effective treatment for OME (glue ear) in the primary care setting. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN38988331.https://doi.org/10.3310/hta13370otitis-media-with-effusiongrommetintranasal-corticosteroidsglue-earnicerandomised-controlled-trial
spellingShingle I Williamson
S Benge
S Barton
S Petrou
L Letley
N Fasey
G Abangma
H Dakin
P Little
A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care
Health Technology Assessment
otitis-media-with-effusion
grommet
intranasal-corticosteroids
glue-ear
nice
randomised-controlled-trial
title A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care
title_full A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care
title_fullStr A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care
title_full_unstemmed A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care
title_short A double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4- to 11-year-old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care
title_sort double blind randomised placebo controlled trial of topical intranasal corticosteroids in 4 to 11 year old children with persistent bilateral otitis media with effusion in primary care
topic otitis-media-with-effusion
grommet
intranasal-corticosteroids
glue-ear
nice
randomised-controlled-trial
url https://doi.org/10.3310/hta13370
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