Oral steroids vs placebo
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
- Topical and oral steroids for otitis media with effusion (OME) in children 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes onlyRR 1.14 [0.97, 1.33]Studies not reportedModerate