The comparative study presented here evaluated pediatricians from Italy, Greece, South Africa, and a reference group in the USA to determine (i) their ability to accurately diagnose @entity697 ( @entity697 ) and @entity2346 media with effusion (OME) using otoscopy, (ii) their knowledge of antibiotics, and (iii) their technical competence in performing tympanocentesis. The @entity1 included 66 pediatricians from Italy, 115 from Greece, 36 from South Africa and 2,190 from the USA (reference group). Each pediatrician viewed nine video-recorded otoscopic examinations of tympanic membranes, after which their ability to differentiate @entity697 , OME and normal was ascertained. Questions were posed regarding appropriate, pathogen-directed antibiotic selection for @entity697 . A mannequin model was used to assess the technical proficiency of each pediatrician in performing tympanocentesis. Results were recorded for each group as the mean percentage +/- standard deviation. The correct diagnosis was made by each group of pediatricians in the following frequencies: Italy, 54+/-27% (range, 18-94%); Greece, 36+/-12% (range, 23-56%); South Africa, 53+/-21% (range, 22-88%); and the USA, 51+/-11% (range, 29-72%). The difference between results from Greece and the US reference group was statistically significant ( P=0.002). Pediatricians from each group over-diagnosed @entity697 with the following frequencies: Italy, 18+/-19% (range, 2-49%); Greece, 34+/-13% (8-50%); South Africa, 23+/-14% (7-44%); and the US reference group, 26+/-19% (7-51%). Pediatricians correctly selected an antibiotic recommended for treatment of @entity697 caused by drug-resistant @entity328 as follows: Italy, 89%; Greece, 77%; South Africa, 82%; and the USA, 80%. For treatment of @entity45286 -producing @entity327 , the results were: Italy, 90%; Greece, 70%; South Africa, 81%; and the USA, 77%. Tympanocentesis was optimally performed by >/=86% of all pediatricians. The results indicate that pediatricians may often misdiagnose OME as @entity697 , but they select appropriate antibiotics about 80% of the time and can be trained to accurately perform tympanocentesis.

Diagnostic accuracy of XXXX media and tympanocentesis skills assessment among pediatricians.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['participants'] @entity697 :: ('MESH:D000208', 'Disease') :: ['acute otitis media', 'AOM'] @entity327 :: ('727', 'Species') :: ['Haemophilus influenzae'] @entity45286 :: ('13915111', 'Gene') :: ['beta-lactamase'] @entity328 :: ('1313', 'Species') :: ['Streptococcus pneumoniae'] @entity2346 :: ('MESH:D010031', 'Disease') :: ['otitis']
@entity2346 :: (MESH:D010031,Disease) :: ['otitis']
