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Research Definitions and Nomenclature
OfolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery Volume 121 Number 1
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
about sudden hearing loss and its treatment. Another partial solution would be to explain to the managed care administrators about the necessity of immediate referral in such cases. We all know that sudden deafness can be treated, and we must impart this knowledge to our specialist colleagues. Murray Grossan, MD Tower Center for Ear, Nose & Throat Head & Neck Surgery Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers 8631 W Third St, Suite 440 E Los Angeles, CA 90048 23/8/96649
Research Definitions and Nomenclature To the Editor: I would like to comment on the March 1999 issue of the Journal. First, on page 320 is an article by Adelglass et ai, "Comparison of the Effectiveness of Levofloxacin and Amoxicillin-clavulanate for the Treatment of Acute Sinusitis in Adults." There are several problems with this article. (I) The authors did not adhere to the Academy guidelines regarding nomenclature. The term sinusitis should be replaced with rhinosinusitis. (2) The authors have used arbitrary definitions for acute sinusitis and rhinosinusitis that do not comply with the recommendations of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
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Second, on page 328, the article "Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Chronic Sinusitis in Children" by Chan et al also does not abide by the Academy's terminology guidelines. The authors presented this article in California in 1997 and have not updated the article to include any information published in the Academy's guidelines. There is no reference to or use of the current Academy guidelines. I understand that there can be delays in time from presentation to publication; however, to publish an article that is 2 years out of date seems to be not in the best interest of the reader. It was the purpose of the Task Force of the Academy to try to standardize research definitions and guidelines. To have authors continue to use terminology and definitions that are not standardized leads to information that is of limited value. It is difficult to compare information between studies when the definitions are so different. It is my hope that our Academy's Journal will more closely monitor these types of publications. Jack B. Anon, MD, FACS Chairman, Rhinology and Paranasal Sinus Committee American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Associate Clinical Professor Department of Otolaryngology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 3580 Peach St Erie, PA 16508-2776 23/8/99070
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
about sudden hearing loss and its treatment. Another partial solution would be to explain to the managed care administrators about the necessity of immediate referral in such cases. We all know that sudden deafness can be treated, and we must impart this knowledge to our specialist colleagues. Murray Grossan, MD Tower Center for Ear, Nose & Throat Head & Neck Surgery Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers 8631 W Third St, Suite 440 E Los Angeles, CA 90048 23/8/96649
Research Definitions and Nomenclature To the Editor: I would like to comment on the March 1999 issue of the Journal. First, on page 320 is an article by Adelglass et ai, "Comparison of the Effectiveness of Levofloxacin and Amoxicillin-clavulanate for the Treatment of Acute Sinusitis in Adults." There are several problems with this article. (I) The authors did not adhere to the Academy guidelines regarding nomenclature. The term sinusitis should be replaced with rhinosinusitis. (2) The authors have used arbitrary definitions for acute sinusitis and rhinosinusitis that do not comply with the recommendations of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
167
Second, on page 328, the article "Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Chronic Sinusitis in Children" by Chan et al also does not abide by the Academy's terminology guidelines. The authors presented this article in California in 1997 and have not updated the article to include any information published in the Academy's guidelines. There is no reference to or use of the current Academy guidelines. I understand that there can be delays in time from presentation to publication; however, to publish an article that is 2 years out of date seems to be not in the best interest of the reader. It was the purpose of the Task Force of the Academy to try to standardize research definitions and guidelines. To have authors continue to use terminology and definitions that are not standardized leads to information that is of limited value. It is difficult to compare information between studies when the definitions are so different. It is my hope that our Academy's Journal will more closely monitor these types of publications. Jack B. Anon, MD, FACS Chairman, Rhinology and Paranasal Sinus Committee American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Associate Clinical Professor Department of Otolaryngology University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine 3580 Peach St Erie, PA 16508-2776 23/8/99070