Randomised comparative efficacy of clindamycin, metronidazole, and lincomycin, plus gentamicin in chronic suppurative otitis media.

Chronic suppurative otitis media is major health problem seen frequently in the ENT clinics in Nigeria and the outcome of most medical management in the past have been disappointing. A comparative randomised clinical trial involving combination therapies with systemic clindamycin, metronidazole, lincomycin, each with gentamicin, was conducted on a total of 14 patients. At the end of one week, and three-week, follow-up end points the clinical response with bacteriological cure were, for clindamycin and gentamicin 21%, metronidazole and gentamicin 33%, lincomycin and gentamicin 22%, and the control (aural toilet alone) 14%. However, when the clinical response was measured only by the ceasation of discharge, the outcome was more impressive. By this assessment the clinical response with clindamycin and gentamicin was 52% of the 140 patients, metronidazole and gentamicin 69%, lincomycin and gentamicin 47%, and the control 24%. The metronidazole and gentamicin regime was significantly more effective than the other regimes and it is suggested for use in prophylactic treatment of CSOM patients undergoing surgical procedures.