A topical steroid without an antibiotic cures external otitis efficiently: a study in an animal model.

In an animal external otitis model, inflammatory reactions were evoked by mechanical stimulation of the rat ear canal skin. The rats were in four groups: group A treated with a group III steroid, betamethasone dipropionate; group B treated with hydrocortisone combined with oxytetracycline; group C treated with hydrocortisone with oxytetracycline and polymyxin B added; Group D, the controls, treated with saline. All rats were observed otomicroscopically daily during the first 7 days after treatment and then on days 10 and 20. A standardized scoring system was used to evaluate colour, swelling and effusion of the ear canal. Histological specimens were collected on days 3, 7, 10 and 20. The most rapid improvement in the ear canal status occurred in the animals treated with betamethasone dipropionate. The inflammatory reaction of the ear canal skin caused by mechanical stimulation was characterized by oedema of the stroma but few inflammatory cells were present. The surface of the epithelium towards the connective tissue layer was smooth in the group III-treated animals (group A) whereas other groups had irregularities of the basal membrane. From this study it is inferred that the group III steroid betamethasone dipropionate alone heals experimentally induced external otitis more rapidly than hydrocortisone with oxytetracycline, with or without polymyxin B. These findings should be considered in future clinical trials of external otitis.