Authors: Federico Marchetti Luca Ronfani Sergio Conti Nibali Maurizio Bonati Giorgio Tamburlini for the Italian Study Group on Acute Otitis Media
Publish Date: 2004/05/14
Volume: 60, Issue: 4, Pages: 293-294
Abstract
Sir Sanz et al 1 reported significant variations in the proportion of children diagnosed with acute otitis media AOM who were treated with antibiotics in different countries antibiotic use was highest in Barcelona Spain 93 of children and lowest in Smolensk Russia 564 of children were treated without antibiotics The type of antibiotics used varied widely Because the Drug Utilization Research Group in Children the international collaborative group that performed the study is planning to investigate these country differences a brief comment based on a recent Italian initiative can be a useful contributionEvidence from systematic reviews suggests that antibiotic treatment of AOM provides only marginal benefits 2 Approximately 80 of children with AOM improve without antibiotics and those not immediately treated with antibiotics are unlikely to develop serious complications 3 To minimise the development of antibiotic resistance and reduce the annual number of
Keywords: