Antibiotics have a clinically and statistically significant impact on the resolution of otitis media with effusion. The association between outcome and natural cure rate has important implications for the design and interpretation of future trials.

No abstract

Kawasaki disease is an acute, multisystem vasculitis of unknown cause usually seen in children younger than 5 years of age. The otolaryngologist is often consulted before the diagnosis is established because patients have multiple head and neck manifestations, including stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenopathy,' Involvement of deep cervical lymph nodes produces large, hypodense lesions on computed tomography (Cf) scan, which may lead to a misdiagnosis of deep neck abscess and subsequent unnecessary surgery. Kawasaki disease has surpassed acute rheumatic fever as the leading cause of acquired heart disease among young children in the United States, and diagnostic delays will only further increase the incidence of coronary artery sequelae.' We present an unusual case of Kawasaki disease mimicking retropharyngeal abscess and discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic implications for otolaryngologists involved in the care of such patients.