วันเสาร์ที่ 21 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2569

Acute Otitis Media (AOM)

Acute Otitis Media (AOM) ในผู้ใหญ่

1) Overview & Clinical relevance

  • AOM ในผู้ใหญ่พบ น้อยกว่าเด็กมาก
  • Incidence โดยประมาณ:
    • อายุ 15–24 ปี: ~3–3.5%
    • อายุ 25–85 ปี: ~1.5–2.3%
  • ต่างจากเด็ก:
    👉 ผู้ใหญ่มีโอกาสเกิด complication สูงกว่า ควรให้ antibiotics เป็นมาตรฐาน

2) Definition (Key concept)

Acute otitis media (AOM) =

  • Infected middle ear effusion
    • Acute inflammation ของ middle ear mucosa
  • มักเกิดจาก Eustachian tube dysfunction fluid retention bacterial infection

อาจมี:

  • Purulent otorrhea (ถ้า TM rupture)

3) Microbiology (Adult AOM)

ลักษณะคล้าย pediatric AOM แต่บางเชื้อพบมากขึ้นในผู้ใหญ่

Common pathogens

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae
  • Moraxella catarrhalis

Pathogens ที่ควรนึกถึงในผู้ใหญ่เพิ่ม

  • Staphylococcus aureus (รวม MRSA)
  • Group A Streptococcus (อาจ fulminant)
  • Pseudomonas (บางราย โดยเฉพาะ perforation/severe)

Viral role

  • URI เป็น trigger สำคัญ
  • Coinfection virus + bacteria พบได้ (rhinovirus, RSV, coronavirus)

4) Predisposing factors (ผู้ใหญ่)

4.1 Eustachian tube dysfunction (สำคัญที่สุด)

  • URI
  • Allergic rhinitis
  • Barotrauma
  • Smoking / mucociliary dysfunction

4.2 Mechanical obstruction (ต้องระวัง unilateral)

  • Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
  • Lymphoma
  • Post-radiation fibrosis

4.3 Host factors

  • Immunocompromised
  • Malignancy
  • Immunosuppressive drugs
  • Primary ciliary dyskinesia

5) Clinical presentation (Adults)

Typical symptoms

  • Otalgia (unilateral)
  • Muffled hearing / conductive hearing loss
  • Aural fullness
  • Recent URI or allergic rhinitis (common preceding)

Clue sign

  • Sudden pain relief + otorrhea TM rupture

Less common

  • Dysequilibrium
  • Mild vertigo (rare)

Alarm symptoms (คิดถึง complication)

  • High fever
  • Severe retroauricular pain
  • Facial weakness
  • Severe vertigo
  • Persistent severe headache

6) Diagnosis (Key for avoiding overtreatment)

6.1 Essential: Otoscopic diagnosis

Hallmark finding

  • 🔴 Bulging tympanic membrane (most specific)

Supporting findings

  • Decreased TM mobility (pneumatic otoscopy)
  • Opaque / cloudy / yellow TM
  • Erythema (nonspecific)
  • Air-fluid level
  • Purulent otorrhea (ถ้า perforation)

Red TM alone AOM

6.2 Practical exam tips

  • Remove cerumen under direct visualization
  • หลีกเลี่ยง irrigation ถ้าสงสัย AOM (risk TM rupture)

7) Differentiating AOM vs OME (สำคัญมากในผู้ใหญ่)

Feature

AOM

OME

Pain

+++

Minimal/none

Fever

Possible

No

TM

Bulging

Neutral/retracted

Effusion

Infected

Non-infected

Mobility

Treatment

Antibiotics

Usually observe

Clinical pitfall

  • ผู้ใหญ่ที่ถูกวินิจฉัย AOM ผิด จริงๆ คือ OME (พบบ่อย)

8) Treatment of AOM in Adults (Core Clinical Protocol)

8.1 General principle

  • ผู้ใหญ่ ให้ antibiotics เป็นมาตรฐาน
  • ต่างจากเด็ก (บางราย observe ได้)

8.2 Symptomatic treatment (ทุกเคส)

  • NSAIDs หรือ acetaminophen (pain control)
  • Nasal decongestant (adjunct ใน URI)
  • Hydration

9) First-line Antibiotic (No allergy)

Preferred: Amoxicillin-clavulanate

Standard dose

  • Amoxicillin-clavulanate 875/125 mg PO BID

Severe infection / resistant risk

  • Amoxicillin-clavulanate ER 2000/125 mg PO BID

Risk group:

  • Age >65
  • Recent antibiotics (<1 month)
  • Immunocompromised
  • High local resistance

10) Alternative regimens

10.1 If cannot use amox-clav (no severe allergy)

  • Cefdinir 300 mg BID
  • Cefpodoxime 200 mg BID
  • Cefuroxime 500 mg BID
  • Ceftriaxone 1–2 g IV/IM daily × 3 days

10.2 Penicillin allergy

Non-severe allergy

  • Cephalosporin (preferred)
  • Doxycycline 100 mg BID

Severe beta-lactam allergy (anaphylaxis/SJS)

  • Doxycycline 100 mg BID
  • Levofloxacin 500–750 mg daily
  • Moxifloxacin 400 mg daily

Less preferred

  • Azithromycin / Clarithromycin (high S. pneumo resistance)

Avoid

  • TMP-SMX (resistance high)
  • Clindamycin (no H. influenzae coverage)

11) Duration of therapy

  • Mild–moderate AOM: 5–7 days
  • Severe AOM (severe pain, marked erythema, HL): 10 days
  • Severe/systemic: IV antibiotics + culture + admit

12) Lack of response (Key timeline)

Reassess at 48–72 hours

If no improvement:

1.       Re-examine TM (misdiagnosis? OME?)

2.       Consider resistant organism

3.       Escalate therapy:

o   High-dose amox-clav (if not used)

o   Ceftriaxone IV

o   Respiratory fluoroquinolone

Persistent failure (2nd line)

ENT referral + tympanocentesis for culture


13) Special situations

13.1 AOM with tympanic membrane rupture

  • ส่วนใหญ่ หายเอง
  • Treat:
    • Oral antibiotics ± topical non-ototoxic drops
  • Water precautions:
    • No swimming
    • Avoid water entry (petroleum jelly cotton)

14) When to refer ENT (Important board-level points)

14.1 Urgent referral

  • Severe AOM not improving 48–72 hr
  • Severe hearing loss
  • Facial nerve palsy
  • Vertigo / SNHL
  • Suspected mastoiditis

14.2 Routine referral

  • Recurrent unilateral AOM (>2 episodes/6 months)
    Rule out nasopharyngeal tumor
  • Persistent hearing loss >1–2 weeks post-resolution
  • TM perforation >12 weeks
  • Suspected cholesteatoma

15) Major complications (Rare but high-risk)

Overall <0.5% แต่สำคัญมากในผู้ใหญ่

Extracranial

  • Acute mastoiditis (most common)
  • Labyrinthitis
  • Facial nerve palsy
  • Petrositis (Gradenigo syndrome)

Intracranial

  • Otitic meningitis
  • Brain abscess (temporal/cerebellar)
  • Epidural/subdural abscess
  • Septic lateral sinus thrombosis
  • Otitic hydrocephalus

Red flags:

  • Postauricular swelling
  • Pinna displacement
  • Severe headache + otorrhea
  • Neurologic deficit

16) Mastoiditis: Clinical pearls (Emergency relevance)

Signs:

  • Postauricular erythema/swelling
  • Fever + severe otalgia
  • Auricle displaced outward/downward

Management:

  • Admit
  • IV antibiotics (cover S. pneumo + H. influenzae)
  • CT temporal bone
  • ENT surgical consult ± mastoidectomy

17) Key clinical pearls (High-yield)

  • Adult AOM = antibiotics indicated (unlike selective pediatric approach)
  • Bulging TM > redness for diagnosis
  • Most common misdiagnosis = OME
  • Unilateral recurrent OME/AOM in adults rule out nasopharyngeal carcinoma (especially Southeast Asia risk)
  • Reassess at 48–72 hr = critical decision point
  • Persistent HL >1–2 weeks after AOM audiogram + ENT referral

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