This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Tapiainen, T.
Right arrow Articles by Uhari, M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Tapiainen, T.
Right arrow Articles by Uhari, M.
Related Collections
Right arrow Infectious Disease & Immunity

PEDIATRICS Vol. 109 No. 2 February 2002, pp. e19

ELECTRONIC ARTICLE

Xylitol Administered Only During Respiratory Infections Failed to Prevent Acute Otitis Media

Terhi Tapiainen, MD*, Leevi Luotonen, MD{ddagger},{dagger}, Tero Kontiokari, MD*, Marjo Renko, MD* and Matti Uhari, MD*

* Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
{ddagger} Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
{dagger} Deceased August 2, 2001

--> Objective. As regular administration of xylitol had been effective in preventing acute otitis media (AOM) in children, we tested whether xylitol administered only at times of acute respiratory infection (ARI) reduces the occurrence of AOM.

Methods. Healthy children (N = 1277) were recruited from child care centers and randomized after screening with tympanometry to receive either control mixture (n = 212), xylitol mixture (n = 212), control chewing gum (n = 280), xylitol chewing gum (n = 286), or xylitol lozenges (n = 287) during an ARI. The trial was randomized and double blinded within the mixture and chewing gum groups. The parents began administering the products to their children at the onset of symptoms of ARI. The follow-up lasted until resolution of the symptoms or up to 3 weeks.

Results. A total of 1253 of the 1277 randomized children were eligible for the analysis. Altogether, 980 (78%) of 1253 children had at least 1 episode of ARI during the 4 months that the trial lasted. The occurrence of AOM during this episode was 34 (20.5%) of 166 in the xylitol mixture group, as compared with 32 (20.4%) of 157 among the children who received the control mixture. Among the older children who received control chewing gum, xylitol chewing gum, or xylitol lozenges, AOM was experienced by 24 (11.0%) of 218, 31 (14.1%) of 220, and 34 (15.5%) of 219, respectively. None of the differences between the groups was statistically significant.

Conclusions. Xylitol administered only during an ARI was ineffective in preventing AOM.

Key Words: xylitol • otitis media • prevention • respiratory tract infection

Abbreviations: AOM, acute otitis media • ARI, acute respiratory infection

Received for publication May 10, 2001; Accepted Oct 3, 2001.