Hearing ‐ return to normal *Ventilation tubes versus laser myringotomy (6 to 12 months ‐ medium‐term) Adjusted for non‐independence of within‐individual measurements Assumed ICC of 0.5 № of participants: 132 (2 RCTs) · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
Oral steroids showed no clear difference in hearing ‐ return to normal hearing compared with placebo (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
RR 1.14 [0.97, 1.33]
Studies not reported
Moderate
Disease‐specific quality of life · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
Moderate
Presence/persistence of OME · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
Oral steroids may leads to lower presence/persistence of OME compared with placebo (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
Low
Adverse event: systemic corticosteroid side effects · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
It is very uncertain whether oral steroids changes adverse event: systemic corticosteroid side effects compared with placebo (very low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
Very low
Hearing · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
No studies found
Disease‐specific quality of life · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
No studies found
Presence/persistence of OME · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
Oral steroids showed no clear difference in presence/persistence of OME (3 to 9 months ‐ medium‐term) № of… compared with no treatment (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
RR 1.02 [0.89, 1.17]
Studies not reported
Low
Adverse event: systemic corticosteroid side effects · children aged 6 months to 12 years with otitis media with effusion (OME)
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
Very low
Hearing loss · Children with otitis media with effusion
Summary of findings: oral steroids showed no clear difference in hearing loss [6 weeks] compared with control (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OME resolution at short‐term · Children with otitis media with effusion
Summary of findings: oral steroids showed no clear difference in OME resolution at short‐term compared with control (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OME resolution at intermediate‐term · Children with otitis media with effusion
Summary of findings: oral steroids showed no clear difference in OME resolution at intermediate‐term compared with control (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OME resolution at long‐term · Children with otitis media with effusion
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
No studies found
Symptoms · Children with otitis media with effusion
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
No studies found
Adverse effects [4 to 6 weeks] · Children with otitis media with effusion
1 finding from 1 review
OME resolution at long‐term · Children with otitis media with effusion
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
No studies found
Symptoms · Children with otitis media with effusion
The review found no eligible studies for this question.
1 finding from 1 review
no estimate extracted
Studies not reported
No studies found
Adverse effects [2 weeks to 6 months] · Children with otitis media with effusion
Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic showed no clear difference in adverse effects [2 weeks to 6 months] compared with control plus antibiotic (low certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
Hearing loss · Children with otitis media with effusion
Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic showed no clear difference in hearing loss [2 months]1 compared with control plus antibiotic (moderate certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OME resolution at short‐term · Children with otitis media with effusion
Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic leads to higher OME resolution at short‐term compared with control plus antibiotic (high certainty).
1 finding from 1 review
OME resolution at intermediate‐term · Children with otitis media with effusion
1 finding from 1 review