Antihistamines for children's ear infections may hinder recovery.Parents should think twice before administering antihistamines Antihistamines Definition Antihistamines are drugs that block the action of histamine (a compound released in allergic inflammatory reactions) at the H1 to relieve their child's symptoms during their next ear infection. A new study by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch "UTMB" redirects here. For other system schools, see University of Texas System. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) is a component of the University of Texas System located in Galveston, Texas, about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of downtown Houston. at Galveston, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, says this common remedy not only increases recovery time but also could lead to more problems. The standard treatment for ear infections has been antibiotics. However, Dr. Tasnee Chonmaitree, UTMB UTMB University of Texas Medical Branch professor of pediatrics and pathology, said that some doctors stay away from prescribing antibiotics for ear infections to avoid building resistance. Since many children with acute ear infections have cold symptoms caused by a virus, these same doctors recommend an antihistamine antihistamine (ăn'tĭhĭs`təmēn), any one of a group of compounds having various chemical structures and characterized by the ability to antagonize the effects of histamine. and/or a decongestant decongestant /de·con·ges·tant/ (de?kon-jes´tint) 1. tending to reduce congestion or swelling. 2. an agent that so acts. de·con·ges·tant n. to relieve symptoms. Bacteria and viruses may increase the degree of inflammation in the ear by producing more histamine and other inflammatory substances. For that reason, UTMB researchers tested their theory that the use of an antihistamine or a corticosteroid--which is given to tamp down the immune system's response and thus reduce inflammation--would fight off the infections better. The UTMB study included 179 children with acute ear infections who were treated with antibiotics. The children were divided into four different groups to receive antihistamines, corticosteroids Corticosteroids Definition Corticosteroids are group of natural and synthetic analogues of the hormones secreted by the hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, more commonly referred to as the pituitary gland. , both drugs in tandem, or neither and a placebo in their place. "We expected that patients who received either the antihistamine or corticosteroid corticosteroid /cor·ti·co·ster·oid/ (-ster´oid) any of the steroids elaborated by the adrenal cortex (excluding the sex hormones) or any synthetic equivalents; divided into two major groups, the glucocorticoids and , in addition to the antibiotic, would have clearing symptoms and less recurrence," said Chonmaitree. Instead, Chonmaitree and her team found that neither the antihistamines nor corticosteroids helped. In fact, she said the children who received corticosteroids had no change and those who received antihistamines maintained fluid in their ears longer. That fluid can have serious consequences, she noted: "Prolonged presence of fluid in the middle ear can impair hearing, promote recurrence of infection and can lead to more serious situations such as ear tube replacement." Ear infections are one of the most common diseases in infants and young children and result in more than 30 million visits to physicians annually, Chonmaitree said. --Journal of Pediatrics, September, 2003 |
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