The Medical journal of Australia
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Single-dose azithromycin versus seven days of amoxycillin in the treatment of acute otitis media in Aboriginal children (AATAAC): a double blind, randomised controlled trial.
To compare the clinical effectiveness of single-dose azithromycin treatment with 7 days of amoxycillin treatment among Aboriginal children with acute otitis media (AOM) in rural and remote communities in the Northern Territory. ⋯ Although azithromycin reduced nasal carriage of S. pneumoniae and NCHi, clinical failure was high in both treatment groups. The possibility of weekly azithromycin treatment in children with persistent AOM should be evaluated.
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To assess the feasibility of using a rapid access neurology clinic to assess and manage patients considered safe to discharge home from the emergency department (ED), yet requiring specialist neurology review. ⋯ The ED RAN clinic provides a viable model for improving the quality of patient care, with high levels of patient satisfaction. This model of care may allow significant cost savings and help to relieve the major access block in Australian EDs.
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To assess the extent to which general practitioners in Australia are engaged in identifying age-related hearing loss and facilitating its management. ⋯ In their routine consultations with patients, GPs have opportunities to identify hearing loss and appropriately refer patients to specialists or allied health professionals. Although GPs are responding to patient presentations for hearing loss, referring around 50% of cases, there appear to be relatively few cases in which hearing loss is identified opportunistically. Levels of identification and management of hearing loss by GPs in Australia are relatively low.