title: The Cooperative Outcomes Group for ENT: a multicenter prospective cohort study on the outcomes of tympanostomy tubes for children with otitis media.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Outcomes for patients with otitis media were assessed in this prospective, multicenter study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one otolaryngologists enrolled 272 pediatric patients with otitis media; caregivers completed surveys at 3-month intervals, and clinical and treatment data was also collected. The Otitis Media 6 (OM-6) was the primary outcome measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred seventy-seven patients (mean age 2.0 years) completed 3-month follow-up. One hundred thirty-seven patients underwent tympanostomy tube placement. Large improvements in disease-specific quality of life (QOL) were seen up to 9 months of follow-up. Baseline OM-6 score was the best predictor of clinical success in regression modeling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients referred to an otolaryngologist for treatment of otitis media see large improvements in disease-specific QOL regardless of treatment rendered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study demonstrates the feasibility of multicenter outcomes studies and confirms appropriate triage of patients with otitis media into surgical versus medical interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  C.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Divison of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center, NC 27710, USA. witse001@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Witsell
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Edwin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Monsell
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.forename: Jeffrey E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Terrell
authors.forename: Bevan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yueh
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rosenfeld
authors.forename: Maureen T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Hannley
authors.forename: Susan Sedory
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Holzer
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome