How Accurate Is the Rapid Strep?
The diagnostic accuracy of rapid streptococcal antigen testing is such that a negative test rules out disease and should not be treated; a positive test rules it in and should be treated.
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Wait-and-See Antibiotics for Otitis Media
Allowing parents the option to wait and see if their child did not improve or worsened in 48 hours after the diagnosis of acute otitis media in the ED vs. filling the prescription right away resulted in a dramatic reduction in antibiotic use with little downside in this RCT.
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Dexamethasone for Sore Throat – What’s Your Bias?
This study says that more patients may feel better with a dose of dexamethasone for sore throat.
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HINTS to the Cause of Dizziness
HINTS is a 3-part exam that is a powerful bedside discriminator of vertigo caused by a peripheral insult vs. posterior stroke that outperformed MRI.
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No Shortcut for Acute Otitis Media
For kids 6 – 23 months with acute otitis media, 10 days of antibiotic therapy is better than 5 days.