Acute otitis media: Antimicrobial treatment or the observation option?

The “observation option” was a recommendation cited in the American Academy of Pediatrics/American Academy of Family Physicians clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and management of acute otitis media (AOM) in 2004. This option’s premise is that antibiotic treatment of some uncomplicated AOM cases can be deferred if certain criteria are met, including diagnostic certainty and disease severity. Although this recommendation was controversial, physicians expressed relief at its publication because they felt that not all cases of AOM needed treatment with antibiotics. Studies of the guideline’s acceptability, practicality, applicability, and effectiveness have been positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support it wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, reluctance persists, and the medical community has voiced some objections. During this current crisis of antibiotic resistance, the observation option has become a point of contention.