Management of acute Ear Discharge in Children (MEDIC): a feasibility study
Acute otitis media with discharge
Control arm: Oral Amoxicillin or Clarithromycin. Amoxicillin dosed by age for 7 days. Clarithromycin doses by weight for 7 days. Intervention arm: Ciprofloxacin topical drops. One ampule (0.25ml) of 2mg/ml drops twice daily for 7 days. Follow up for all participants: 14 days Randomisation: individual online tool
1. Children and young people aged ≥6 months and <7 years 2. Unilateral or bilateral otorrhoea 3. New episode of otorrhoea (>6 weeks from previous episode) 4. Otorrhoea duration <6 weeks 5. No prior antibiotic treatment for this episode 6. No antibiotics for other reasons within 6 weeks prior 7. Parent/guardian who is able to understand written English, Urdu, Arabic, Punjabi or Polish
1. Signs of sepsis (requiring hospitalisation) 2. Complications of ear infections (for example mastoiditis, facial nerve palsy, brain abscess, meningitis) 3. Significant immunosuppression 4. Known grommet in the affected ear 5. Known cholesteatoma in the affected ear 6. Allergy to ciprofloxacin 7. Allergy to both amoxicillin and clarithromycin 8. Currently participating in an ear related research study