Survey of antibiotic prescription use for inflamed epidermal inclusion cysts.
BACKGROUND
Symptomatic epidermal inclusion cysts (EICs) are variously called "inflamed" or "infected," and the mechanism of inflammation or suppuration is controversial. Whether physicians routinely prescribe antibiotics for inflamed EICs is of concern owing to cost and bacterial resistance.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether there is any difference in the diagnosis and treatment of EICs between primary care physicians and dermatologists and to estimate the rate and cost of antibiotic prescriptions for EICs.


METHODS
One hundred twenty-five primary care physicians and 52 dermatologists were surveyed using a standard case study and a photograph.


RESULTS
Sixty-seven percent of the primary care physicians used the term "infected," whereas 69% of the dermatologists used the term "inflamed" or "ruptured." Eighty-four percent of the general practitioners and 94% of the dermatologists chose antibiotics for treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that despite the differences between general practitioners and dermatologists in diagnosis, the majority of physicians use antibiotics for the treatment of inflamed EICs.
Poonawalla
Tasneem
T
Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0783, USA.
Uchida
Tatsuo
T
Diven
Dayna G
DG
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004814:Epidermal Cyst / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013781:Texas
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents