4. Resolution of ear discharge outcome.
| Reference | Unit of randomisation | Reported | Definition | Otoscopically confirmed? | Time points | Notes |
| Asmatullah 2014 | Person | Person | "no discharge" | Yes | 1 to 2 weeks (10 days) | — |
| de Miguel 1999 | Person | Person | "global index of clinic microbiological cure" | Yes | 1 to 2 weeks (7 days) | — |
| Esposito 1990 | Person | Person | "cured" (no definition but assumed to be no discharge) | Unclear, paper states "clinically examined" | 1 week to 2 weeks (6 to 11 days) and 2 to 4 weeks (19 to 24 days) | 1 to 2 weeks examined but not reported |
| Fradis 1997 | Ear | Ear | "clinical success as defined as cessation of otorrhea and eradication of the microorganisms in the post treatment culture" | Unclear | 2 to 4 weeks (21 days) | Unclear how many patients had bilateral ear disease in each group |
| Gyde 1978 | Person | Ear | "dry ear" and a negative culture at 3 weeks or a real improvement in at 3 weeks and the cessation of discharge at 6 weeks | Unclear | 2 to 4 weeks (3 weeks) and after 4 weeks (6 weeks) | Semi cross‐over trial. It does not appear that any consideration of the correlation of results between ears has been taken into account. If there was a treatment failure 'ears' were transferred to the alternative groups. These results have not been included in the analysis. If the ear was not dry on review at 6 months, treatment for 3 weeks with the alternative treatment was completed with review after 6 months |
| Jamalullah 2016 | Person | Person | "absence" of aural discharge | Yes | 2 to 4 weeks (2 weeks) | — |
| Kasemsuwan 1997 | Person | Person | "cure" | Unclear | 1 to 2 weeks (7 days) | — |
| Kaygusuz 2002 | Person | Ear | Assessed using 3‐point scale (2 points = no drainage) | Yes | 2 to 4 weeks (day 14 and 21) | Unclear method of allocation, unsure if random selection of study ear |
| Liu 2003 | Person | Person | "Cured: otorrhea disappeared, mucosal hyperaemia of the tympanic membrane and tympanic cavity disappeared. Significantly effective: no complaints of otorrhea, no visible purulence in the ear canal and tympanic cavity, and nonvisible or slight hyperaemia of the tympanic membrane and the tympanic canal" |
Unclear | 1 to 2 weeks (2 weeks) | — |
| Lorente 1995 | Person | Person | "Complete resolution of ear discharge" | Yes | 1 to 2 weeks (8 days) and after 4 weeks (30 days) | — |
| Mira 1993 | Person | Person | Not reported in a way that could be used in the review | N/A | N/A | Paper plotted the time course of otorrhoea (quantity) on a scale of 0 to 3 at 3, 7 and 21 days |
| Nawasreh 2001 | Person | Person | "cessation of otorrhea" | Yes | 1 to 2 weeks (10 days) | — |
| Ramos 2003 | Person | Person | "cured" according to "indices de curacion" | Unclear | 1 to 2 weeks (10 days) | — |
| Siddique 2016 | Person | Person | "absence of discharge from middle ear cavity and no inflammation/congestion in middle ear mucosa and tympanic membrane" | Unclear | 2 to 4 weeks (4 weeks) | 15 patients (8%) had bilateral disease but how these cases were handled is not stated. The denominator in the trials is the person so it is assumed that no double counting occurred. |
| Tutkun 1995 | Person | Person | "cessation of otorrhea" | Yes | 1 to 2 weeks (10 days) | — |
| van Hasselt 1997 | Unclear, most likely person | Ear | "dry ear" | Unclear | 1 to 2 weeks (1 week) and after 4 weeks (> 2 weeks) | Counting bilateral ears separately. All ears reported separately. Data come from an unpublished report. In the analysis 3/11 (27.27%), 10/30 (33%) and 11/28 (39%) of patients had bilateral disease in the ofloxacin, neomycin and antiseptic acid groups respectively. |
| van Hasselt 1998a | Unclear | Ear | "inactive ear" ‐ completely dry middle ear | Unclear | 1 to 2 weeks (1 week), 2 to 4 weeks (2 weeks) and after 4 weeks (8 weeks) | Counting bilateral ears separately |
N/A: not applicable