Acute otitis media: From diagnosis to prevention. Summary of the Italian guideline.
Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common disease occurring in infants and children and has major medical, social and economic effects. If we consider the Italian pediatric population and the incidence rates in different age ranges it can be calculated that almost one million cases of AOM are diagnosed in Italy every year. Various attempts have been made internationally to clarify the most appropriate ways in which AOM should be managed. In Italy, this has been done at local or regional level but there have so far been no national initiatives. The objective of this guideline is to provide recommendations to pediatricians, general practitioners and otolaryngologists involved in the clinical management of acute otitis media in healthy children aged 2 months to 12 years. After a systematic review and grading of evidences from the literature, the document was drafted by a multidisciplinary panel with identified key clinical questions related to diagnosis, treatment of the acute episode, management of complications and prevention.
Marchisio
Paola
P
Department of Maternal and Pediatric Sciences, University of Milan and Foundation, IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Italy. paola.marchisio@unimi.it
Bellussi
Luisa
L
Di Mauro
Giuseppe
G
Doria
Mattia
M
Felisati
Giovanni
G
Longhi
Riccardo
R
Novelli
Andrea
A
Speciale
Annamaria
A
Mansi
Nicola
N
Principi
Nicola
N
D000208:Acute Disease; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002571:Cerumen; D058113:Cerumenolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D004433:Earache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D038781:Otoscopy; D018579:Patient Selection; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D058113:Cerumenolytic Agents; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines