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To assess changes in incidence of acute otitis media (AOM), Boston investigators retrospectively reviewed 9 years of visits for AOM in children (age range, 2 months to 12 years) in a multispecialty provider group that served 275,000 pediatric patients.
From 1996 through 2004, incidence of AOM declined significantly, from 385 to 189 visits per 1000 person-years. Use of high-dose amoxicillin (≥70 mg/kg daily) rose significantly, from 2% of AOM visits in 1996 to 42% in 2004, whereas use of regular-dose amoxicillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole declined significantly. Both treatment failure (defined as a second AOM visit associated with a different antibiotic prescription before completion of the first prescription) and relapse rate (a secon…