Table 1.  Outcome by day three children with otitis media in according to immediate or delayed treatment with antibiotics. Figures are numbers (percentage) of children Immediate Delayed P value NNTB (95% CI) Children with high temperature or vomiting* Distress 12 (32) 27 (53) 0.045 5 (2 to 83) Disturbed nights 10 (26) 30 (59) 0.002 3 (2 to 8) Children without high temperature or vomiting* Distress 14 (15) 19 (19) 0.39 22 (7 to  to NNTH 17) Disturbed nights 19 (20) 20 (27) 0.20 13 (5 to  to NNTH 24) Children with two of three symptoms on day 1 Distress 11 (39) 22 (55) 0.20 6 (3 to  to NNTH 12) Disturbed nights  9 (32) 26 (65) 0.008 3 (2 to 10) NNTB=number needed to treat to benefit; NNTH=number needed to treat to harm. * Temperature as measured on day 1, vomiting on any day. High temperature, vomiting, cough.