TY - JOUR
T1 - Treatment of acute otitis media in general practice: quality variations across countries
AU - Hansen, Malene Plejdrup
AU - Jarbol, Dorte Ejg
AU - Gahrn-Hansen, Bente
AU - Depont Christensen, Rene
AU - Munck, Anders
AU - Ellegaard Trankjær Ryborg, Christina
AU - Bjerrum, Lars
PY - 2011/8/4
Y1 - 2011/8/4
N2 - BACKGROUND: Recommendations for antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) have changed over the years, and today many experts recommend initial observation. However, antibiotic prescribing should be considered in children aged 38.5°C, ear discharge and the antibiotic treatment given was recorded. RESULTS: Danish GPs had the lowest antibiotic prescription rate for AOM [72.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 67.0-77.8)] and GPs in Kaliningrad had the highest [97.1% (95% CI = 89.8-99.6)]. Narrow-spectrum penicillin was almost exclusively prescribed in the two Nordic countries, while broad-spectrum penicillins, often in combination with clavulanic acid, were prescribed in the other four countries. Macrolides comprised 5-10% of prescriptions. Antibiotic prescribing was associated with the following characteristics of the patients: symptoms for >3 days, ear discharge and fever. Conclusion. The majority of patients with AOM were treated with antibiotics in all six countries, but considerable variations in both prescribing rate and choice of antibiotics were identified.
AB - BACKGROUND: Recommendations for antibiotic treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) have changed over the years, and today many experts recommend initial observation. However, antibiotic prescribing should be considered in children aged 38.5°C, ear discharge and the antibiotic treatment given was recorded. RESULTS: Danish GPs had the lowest antibiotic prescription rate for AOM [72.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 67.0-77.8)] and GPs in Kaliningrad had the highest [97.1% (95% CI = 89.8-99.6)]. Narrow-spectrum penicillin was almost exclusively prescribed in the two Nordic countries, while broad-spectrum penicillins, often in combination with clavulanic acid, were prescribed in the other four countries. Macrolides comprised 5-10% of prescriptions. Antibiotic prescribing was associated with the following characteristics of the patients: symptoms for >3 days, ear discharge and fever. Conclusion. The majority of patients with AOM were treated with antibiotics in all six countries, but considerable variations in both prescribing rate and choice of antibiotics were identified.
U2 - 10.1093/fampra/cmr042
DO - 10.1093/fampra/cmr042
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 21817089
SN - 0271-1362
JO - Audio-Digest Family Practice
JF - Audio-Digest Family Practice
ER -