Xylitol chewing gum in prevention of acute otitis media: double blind randomised trial
Uhari M, Kontiokari T, Koskela M, Niemelä M
Published in BMJ, Vol. 313 (7066), pp. 1180-4
Methodology
Double-blind randomised trial in 11 day care nurseries in Oulu, Finland. 306 children (mean age about 5 years, most with earlier recurrent acute otitis media) chewed xylitol gum (8.4 g a day) or sucrose gum for two months.
Key Findings
At least one acute otitis media episode occurred in 12.1% (19/157) of xylitol children versus 20.8% (31/149) of sucrose children (difference 8.7%, 95% CI 0.4% to 17.0%, P=0.04). Antimicrobial treatment was needed by 18.5% versus 28.9% (P=0.032). Pneumococcal carriage (17.4% to 28.2%) did not differ between groups. Two xylitol children had diarrhoea.
Conclusions
The authors concluded that xylitol gum seems to have a preventive effect against acute otitis media.
Limitations
Two-month follow-up; chewing gum requires children old enough to use it; the abstract does not describe how many portions were given each day; the effect was at the lower edge of statistical significance; the trial came from the group that ran most of the later xylitol trials.
Supplements Studied
Xylitol seems to have a preventive effect against acute otitis media
Related Health Concerns
Study Details
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