TY - JOUR
T1 - Patterns in acute otitis media drug prescriptions
T2 - A survey of Italian pediatricians and otolaryngologists
AU - Marchisio, Paola
AU - Tagliabue, Marta
AU - Klersy, Catherine
AU - Mira, Eugenio
AU - Pagella, Fabio
AU - Baggi, Elena
AU - Fattizzo, Miriam
AU - Esposito, Susanna
AU - Principi, Nicola
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Objective: To evaluate whether physicians follow current guidelines for managing acute otitis media (AOM) and whether educational programs are needed to improve knowledge of AOM treatment among paediatricians (PEDs) and otolaryngologists (ENTs) Methods: A total of 1270 PEDs and 852 ENTs were randomly selected and interviewed with an anonymous questionnaire about how they managed AOM. Results: Inappropriate AOM approaches were identified among 60.2% of PEDs and 88.5% of ENTs (p <0.001). Amoxicillin and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid were appropriately chosen as first-line drugs by the majority of PEDs and ENTs, although significantly more ENTs reported otherwise (15.8% PEDs vs 25.5% ENTs; p <0.001). ENTs were significantly more likely than PEDs to report prescribing decongestants, mucolytics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and steroids (p <0.001). Conclusion: These results show that AOM prescriptions for antibiotics and adjunctive treatments are often inappropriate and highlight the need for educational strategies aimed at PEDs and ENTs to improve their compliance with evidence-based guidelines for AOM treatment.
AB - Objective: To evaluate whether physicians follow current guidelines for managing acute otitis media (AOM) and whether educational programs are needed to improve knowledge of AOM treatment among paediatricians (PEDs) and otolaryngologists (ENTs) Methods: A total of 1270 PEDs and 852 ENTs were randomly selected and interviewed with an anonymous questionnaire about how they managed AOM. Results: Inappropriate AOM approaches were identified among 60.2% of PEDs and 88.5% of ENTs (p <0.001). Amoxicillin and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid were appropriately chosen as first-line drugs by the majority of PEDs and ENTs, although significantly more ENTs reported otherwise (15.8% PEDs vs 25.5% ENTs; p <0.001). ENTs were significantly more likely than PEDs to report prescribing decongestants, mucolytics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and steroids (p <0.001). Conclusion: These results show that AOM prescriptions for antibiotics and adjunctive treatments are often inappropriate and highlight the need for educational strategies aimed at PEDs and ENTs to improve their compliance with evidence-based guidelines for AOM treatment.
KW - acute otitis media
KW - adjunctive treatment
KW - antimicrobial therapy
KW - ear
KW - otitis
KW - prescribing habits
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U2 - 10.1586/14787210.2014.944503
DO - 10.1586/14787210.2014.944503
M3 - Article
C2 - 25075863
AN - SCOPUS:84905858688
VL - 12
SP - 1159
EP - 1163
JO - Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy
JF - Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy
SN - 1478-7210
IS - 9
ER -