What test can be used to compare the prevalence of otorrhea for the ear drop group vs. the observation group? State the hypotheses to be tested?

Otolaryngology

Many children have tympanostomy tubes surgically inserted in their ears to reduce hearing loss associated with persistent otitis media and prevent recurrences of episodes of otitis media after tubes are inserted. However, acute otorrhea (a discharge from the external ear indicating inflammation of the external or middle ear), where middle ear fluid drains through the tube, is a common side effect with tympanostomy tubes. 

A clinical trial was conducted (Van Dongen et al. [10]) among children 1€“10 years of age with prior symptoms of otorrhea comparing efficacy of (i) antibiotic eardrops,(ii) oral antibiotics, and (iii) observation without treatment, referred to below as observation. Children were seen at home by study physicians at 2 weeks and 6 months after randomization. The primary outcome was the presence of otorrhea at 2 weeks observed by study physicians. The results are given in Table 10.22.

Table 10.22: Number of children with otorrhea at 2 weeks of follow-up

 

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Number of children with otorrhea at 2 weeks Number of children Group Antibiotic ear drops 76 77 75 4 Oral antibiotics Observation 34