Table 1.
Characteristics of the studies included in the review.
| Author and Year | Country | Design | Subjects | Setting | Evaluated Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarlin S et al., 2024 [34] | Finland | RCT | Healthy children at risk of AOM, between 1 to 6 years old | Daycares and schools | Development of AOM, time to the first AOM episode, disease recurrence, antibiotic requirement, hospitalizations, and incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. |
| Garaiova I et al., 2023 [35] | Slovakia | RCT | Healthy children between 3 and 10 years old | Outpatient and daycares | Development of AOM and incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. |
| Corsello G et al., 2017 [36] | Italy | RCT | Healthy children between 12 and 48 months old | Daycares | Development of AOM and adverse events. |
| Hojsak I et al., 2016 [37] | Croatia | RCT | Healthy children, between 1 and 6 months old | Daycares | Development of AOM and adverse events. |
| Di Pierro F et al., 2016 [38] | Italy | RCT | Healthy children around 3 years old | Daycares | Development of AOM and adverse events. |
| Taipale T et al., 2016 [39] | Finland | RCT | Healthy children from 1 month of age | Outpatient | Development of AOM and adverse events. |
| Marchisio P et al., 2015 [40] | Italy | RCT | Children with recurrent AOM, between 1 and 5 years old | Outpatient, Hospital | Development of AOM, antibiotic requirement, and adverse events. |
| Nocerino R et al., 2015 [41] | Italy | RCT | Healthy children between 12 and 48 months old | Outpatient | Development of AOM and adverse events. |
| Karpova E et al., 2015 [42] | Russia | RCT | Sick children, between 6 and 7 years old | Outpatient | Development of AOM. |
| Cohen R et al., 2013 [43] | France | RCT | Healthy children at risk of AOM, between 7 and 13 months old | Outpatient | Development of AOM, disease recurrence, antibiotic requirement, and adverse events. |
| Hojsak I et al., 2010 [44] | Croatia | RCT | Healthy children with an average age of 52 months | Daycares | Development of AOM and antibiotic requirement. |
| Taipale T et al., 2010 [45] | Finland | RCT | Healthy children from 1 month of birth | Outpatient | Development of AOM, antibiotic requirement, and adverse events. |
| Stecksén-Blicks C et al., 2009 [46] | Sweden | RCT | Healthy children between 1 and 5 years old | Daycare | Duration of the AOM episode, antibiotic requirement, and adverse events. |
| Rautava S et al., 2008 [47] | Finland | RCT | Healthy children requiring infant formula before 2 months of age | Outpatient | Development of AOM, disease recurrence, antibiotic requirement, and adverse events. |
| Hatakka K et al., 2007 [48] | Finland | RCT | Healthy children at risk of AOM, between 10 months and 6 years old | Daycares and primary care centers | Development of AOM, time to the first episode of the disease, disease recurrence, duration of the clinical episode, antibiotic requirement, and incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. |
| Arslanoglu S et al., 2007 [49] | Italy | RCT | Healthy children within the first 2 weeks of life | Outpatient | Development of AOM and incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. |
| Hatakka K et al., 2001 [50] | Finland | RCT | Healthy children at risk of AOM, between 1 and 6 years old | Daycares | Development of AOM, antibiotic requirement, and adverse events. |
AOM = acute otitis media.