ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF SENIOR STUDENTS OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY ON RATIONAL ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY OF UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT AND ENT ORGANS INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Despite the availability of clinical guidelines, the issues of choosing the optimal first-line antibiotic therapy in the treatment of infections of the upper respiratory tract and ENT organs in children still remain relevant. Knowledge of the etiology of infections and the rational apply of systemic antibiotics are formed in senior medical students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the knowledge of 6th year students of a medical university on the etiology and antibiotic therapy of upper respiratory tract infections and ENT organs in children, as well as comparing the results with knowledge on these issues of pediatricians. The article presents the results of a survey among the 350 volunteer students of the 6th year of the pediatric faculty on the etiology and antibacterial treatment of upper respiratory tract infections and ENT organs in children. These data have been compaired with the results of the large-scale multicenter study «PATRIOT» (2011-2013) among the pediatricians from 18 cities of Russia. It was revealed that most students overestimate the role of Staphylococcus aureus as the main pathogen in acute otitis media and acute tonsillopharyngitis (tonsillitis) in children. The main group of empirical antibiotic therapy were called aminopenicillins, often inhibitor-protected, whereas the role of natural penicillins in streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis and amoxicillin in acute otitis media and acute sinusitis was underestimated. Among district pediatricians, the frequency of correct answers to questions regarding the etiology and antibiotic therapy of these diseases was significantly higher than among students. It was found that only 9.4% of students and 6.1% of doctors would prescribe antibiotics for uncomplicated acute respiratory infection (ARI), but in real clinical practice they were prescribed in 59.6% of cases. These data indicate a different level of knowledge between students and doctors, as well as the difference in approaches to rational antibiotic therapy in theory and in real practice.