Predictors of episodes of earache reported after 3 months.
| Had earache n (%) | Did not have earache n (%) | Crude OR (95% CI) | Adjusted OR (95% CI)a | LR χ2 (P-value) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symptoms and signs: | |||||
| High temperature | 11 (21) | 23 (14) | 1.66 (0.75 to 3.68) | 1.62 (0.71 to 3.71) | 1.25 (0.26) |
| Vomiting | 8 (16) | 32 (19) | 0.78 (0.34 to 1.83) | 0.63 (0.26 to 1.52) | 1.13 (0.29) |
| Ear discharge | 20 (39) | 35 (21) | 2.43 (1.24 to 4.78) | 2.57 (1.29 to 5.13) | 7.04 (0.004) |
| Bulging drum | 30 (58) | 71 (42) | 1.86 (0.99 to 3.50) | 2.18 (1.13 to 4.20) | 5.50 (0.019) |
| Past history — prior episodes of otitis media: | |||||
| 0 | 78 (53) | 26 (54) | 1 | 1 | 0.52 (0.77) |
| 1 | 37 (25) | 11 (23) | 0.89 (0.40 to 2.00) | 0.80 (0.34 to 1.84) | |
| 2 | 32 (22) | 11 (23) | 1.03 (0.46 to 2.33) | 0.75 (0.30 to 1.85) | |
| Family/social factors — child care: | |||||
| Playgroup | 13 (29) | 29 (22) | 1 | 1 | 0.43 (0.81) |
| Nursery | 4 (9) | 19 (14) | 0.47 (0.13 to 1.66) | 0.65 (0.17 to 2.45) | |
| School | 28 (62) | 86 (64) | 0.73 (0.33 to 1.59) | 0.83 (0.36 to 1.92) | |
OR = odds ratio. LR = likelihood ratio.
↵a Adjusted for significant predictors of outcome. Other variable assessed in models and shown not to predict outcome: asthma, eczema, exposure to smoke in the home, educational status of parents, history of breast feeding, past and current use of dummy, sibling having had otitis media.