Cochrane · systematic review · CD001935
Oral or topical nasal steroids for hearing loss associated with otitis media with effusion in children
Simpson, SA, Lewis, R, van der Voort, J, et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2011 · Cochrane Library
ENTAMSTAR 2: not assessed
SoF tableOnly the outcomes this review put in its Summary of Findings table are listed (the Cochrane Handbook caps them at about seven per comparison). Its other analyses are not shown here.
Questions
25
current version
GRADE rated
15
No studies
8
Included studies
NR
No studies 8 · 32%Ungraded 2 · 8%Very low 0 · 0%Low 2 · 8%Moderate 11 · 44%High 2 · 8%
Ungraded means an effect was reported without a GRADE rating; it is not a gap. No studies means the review found nothing to answer the question. The six categories are a display order, not a score.
Questions and results
Summary of findings: oral steroids versus control
Population: Children with otitis media with effusion
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Hearing loss [6 weeks] Summary of findings: oral steroids vs control | RR 1.09 [0.8, 1.49] | 1 study · 44 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
OME resolution at short‐term Summary of findings: oral steroids vs control | RR 3.8 [0.93, 15.52] | 3 studies · 108 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
OME resolution at intermediate‐term Summary of findings: oral steroids vs control | RR 1.54 [0.76, 3.14] | 3 studies · 106 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
OME resolution at long‐term Summary of findings: oral steroids vs control | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Symptoms Summary of findings: oral steroids vs control | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Adverse effects [4 to 6 weeks] Summary of findings: oral steroids vs control | no estimate extracted | 3 studies · 143 participants | Ungraded |
Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic versus control plus antibiotic
Population: Children with otitis media with effusion
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Hearing loss [2 months]1 Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | RR 1.01 [0.73, 1.4] | 1 study · 99 participants | Moderate Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
OME resolution at short‐term Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | RR 1.99 [1.14, 3.49] | 5 studies · 409 participants | High |
OME resolution at intermediate‐term Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | 1.44 [0.97, 2.13] | 2 studies · 231 participants | High |
OME resolution at long‐term Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Symptoms Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Adverse effects [2 weeks to 6 months] Summary of findings: oral steroids plus antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | RR 1.5 [0.81, 2.78] | 2 studies · 255 participants | Low Downgraded: risk of bias, imprecision |
Summary of findings: intranasal steroids versus control
Population: Children with otitis media with effusion
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Median days with hearing loss [3 months] Summary of findings: intranasal steroids vs control | no estimate extracted | 200 participants | Moderate |
Hearing loss (Audiometry failing) [9 months]2 Summary of findings: intranasal steroids vs control | RR 1.17 [0.87, 1.58] | 141 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
OME resolution at short‐term Summary of findings: intranasal steroids vs control | RR 0.64 [0.31, 1.31] | 1 study · 44 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
OME resolution at intermediate‐term Summary of findings: intranasal steroids vs control | RR 1.11 [0.85, 1.46] | 1 study · 172 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
OME resolution at long‐term Summary of findings: intranasal steroids vs control | RR 0.85 | 1 study · 144 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Symptoms Summary of findings: intranasal steroids vs control | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Adverse effects [3 months] Summary of findings: intranasal steroids vs control | RR 1.26 [0.8, 1.99] | 2 studies · 231 participants | Low Downgraded: imprecision |
Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic versus control plus antibiotic
Population: Children with otitis media with effusion
| Outcome | Effect | Evidence | Status / GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
Hearing loss Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
OME resolution at short‐term Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
OME resolution at intermediate‐term Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | RR 1.26 [0.54, 2.96] | 1 study · 59 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
OME resolution at long‐term Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | no estimate extracted | NR | No studies |
Symptom score [3 months] Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | no estimate extracted | 39 participants | Moderate Downgraded: imprecision |
Adverse effects [3 months] Summary of findings: intranasal steroids plus oral antibiotic vs control plus antibiotic | no estimate extracted | 1 study · 59 participants | Ungraded |