title: The reevaluation visit for acute otitis media.
abstract: Seventy children with acute otitis media diagnosed at a suburban, private primary care practice were examined after a ten-day course of antibiotic therapy and were then monitored closely for an additional 20 days. Parents were advised to seek prompt attention if symptoms of earache, fussiness, or fever recurred at any time during the 30-day study period. Of 14 symptomatic recurrences of acute otitis media, eight (57 percent) occurred within one week of discontinuing antibiotic therapy. Four (10 percent) of 41 children with persistent otitis media with effusion on days 10 to 14 developed symptomatic acute otitis media over the next 18 days, as did four (17 percent) of 23 children who had a normal middle ear examination on days 10 to 14. Early follow-up visits immediately following antibiotic therapy commonly detect persistent otitis media with effusion but appear to have limited value in detecting asymptomatic, posttreatment acute otitis media. the optimal timing of reevaluation visits for children with acute otitis media deserves further study.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009819:Office Visits; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000658:Amoxicillin