Prevalencia de la otitis media en pacientes pediátricos que acuden a la emergencia del Hospital Naval de Guayaquil en el período 2022-2025.

Abstract

Introduction: Otitis media is one of the most common infections in the pediatric population, particularly among children under five years of age, and represents a frequent reason for consultation in pediatric emergency departments. Objective: To describe the epidemiological and therapeutic characteristics of pediatric patients diagnosed with otitis media who were treated at the Emergency Department of the Naval Hospital of Guayaquil between 2022 and 2025. Methods: A retrospective, descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted in pediatric patients diagnosed with otitis media during the study period. Sociodemographic, clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic variables were analyzed. Results: A total of 112 cases of otitis media were identified. Unspecified otitis media (H66.9) predominated, with 65 cases (58.0%), followed by unspecified nonsuppurative otitis media (H65.9), with 47 cases (42.0%). The median age was 7 years (IQR: 5.0–8.25), and the median weight was 22 kg (IQR: 17.45–29.20). Antimicrobials was prescribed in 50.9% of patients (n=57), with amoxicillin/clavulanate at 80 mg/kg/day as the most frequently prescribed first-line antibiotic. A statistically significant association was observed between age and antimicrobials prescription (p<0.05), whereas no significant association was observed with sex. Analgesic therapy was prescribed in 92.9% of patients (n=104), with ibuprofen at 10 mg/kg/dose being the most frequently prescribed analgesic (73.1%, n=76). A statistically significant association was observed between age and analgesic prescription (p=0.024), while no association was observed with sex. Conclusions: Otitis media diagnoses were predominantly documented using nonspecific ICD-10 codes. Analgesic therapy was frequently prescribed and was associated with patient age but not sex. Antimicrobial therapy was prescribed selectively and was significantly associated with age, but not sex. These findings provide an epidemiological and therapeutic baseline that may inform the refinement of pediatric emergency care protocols.