Cochrane review summary: influenza vaccines for preventing acute otitis media in infants and children

Abstract

This Cochrane review contained 10 randomised controlled trials targeting infants and children aged six months to six years with or without a history of AOM (n = 16 707) (Norhayati et al., 2015). Six were based in high-income countries and four were multicentre trials from high-, middleand low-income countries. They were delivered in health care settings, hospital and day centres. Included studies had to evaluate any influenza vaccine with placebo or no intervention and report a minimum six months follow-up after vaccination for primary outcomes. Treatment included trivalent vaccine, reassortant and a combination of monovalent and bivalent with seven trials administering live attenuated vaccine. They were given intranasally, intramuscularly or subcutaneously as one or two courses from one to three doses. AOM had to be diagnosed by clinicians and excluded studies were those in which diagnosis was based solely on participant or carer report. Nine trials declared funding from vaccine manufacturers.