Predictors of episodes of earache reported after 1 year.
| 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 | 18 (21) | 18 (13) | 1.73 (0.84 to 3.55) | 1.88 (0.85 to 4.17) | 2.40 (0.12) |
| Vomiting | 19 (24) | 26 (20) | 1.28 (0.66 to 2.50) | 1.45 (0.72 to 2.92) | 1.09 (0.30) |
| Ear discharge | 27 (34) | 32 (24) | 1.61 (0.87 to 2.96) | 1.40 (0.72 to 2.69) | 0.98 (0.32) |
| Bulging drum | 42 (50) | 63 (47) | 1.13 (0.65 to 1.95) | 1.01 (0.56 to 1.83) | 0.00 (0.98) |
| Past history — prior episodes of otitis media: | |||||
| 0 | 28 (37) | 73 (60) | 1 | 1 | 8.04 (0.005) (test for trend) |
| 1 | 26 (35) | 28 (23) | 2.42 (1.22 to 4.82) | 2.42 (1.22 to 4.82) | |
| 2 | 21 (28) | 21 (17) | 2.61 (1.24 to 5.49) | 2.61 (1.24 to 5.49) | |
| Family/social factors — child care: | |||||
| Playgroup | 14 (25) | 19 (21) | 1 | 1 | 1.52 (0.47) |
| Nursery | 7 (12) | 15 (15) | 0.68 (0.22 to 2.12) | 0.46 (0.13 to 1.62) | |
| School | 36 (63) | 58 (64) | 0.84 (0.38 to 1.89) | 0.79 (0.33 to 1.90) | |
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.