Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of 180 children with recurrent acute otitis media randomised to receive adenoidectomy, sulfafurazole prophylaxis, or placebo. Figures are numbers of children unless stated otherwise

Characteristic	Adenoideclomy (n=60)	Sulfafurazole (n=60)	Placebo(n=60)
Mean (SD) age (years)	1.2 (0.3)	1.3 (0.3)	1.3 (0.3)
Boys/girls	32/28	32/28	30/30
Breast fed for <6 months	24	26	32
Mean (SD) age at first episode (months)	6.6 (3.1)	7.1 (3.7)	8.2 (4.2)
History of acute otitis media:
3-5 episodes	27	23	25
>5 episodes	33	37	35
Mean (SD) No of episodes	6.1 (2.4)	6.3 (2.2)	5.8 (2.1)
Smoking in household	30	28	25
Attending daycare	29	29	31
Middle ear fluid at assignment	15	24	14