Clinical Research Directory

Transoral Ultrasound Versus no Transoral Ultrasound in Diagnostic Workup of Peritonsillar Abscess

Peritonsillar abscess (PTA) is a collection of pus between the palatine tonsil and the constrictor muscle. PTA is detected by recognizing characteristics during clinical examination: redness, pain, malaise, trismus, and unilateral peritonsillar swelling. Clinical assessment, including inspection and palpation, is the traditional diagnostic method for patients suspected of having PTA. If PTA is suspected, aspiration with a large-gauge needle or incision is performed to drain the abscess . It can be challenging to distinguish PTA and peritonsillar cellulitis (PTC) based on clinical examination alone. Due to the increased availability of point-of-care ultrasound, it is a part of the diagnostic workup of PTA. Several studies have shown that transoral US can improve the diagnostic accuracy of patients with a suspected PTA. However, no large multicenter study has evaluated whether one of these methods is superior to the other. It is therefore very clinician-dependent whether the patient will have a transoral US performed or not. The investigators hypothesize that transoral US will increase the diagnostic accuracy of PTA compared to solely clinical examination, which is a visual and palpatory assessment. This will result in fewer unnecessary aspiration attempts and overlooked PTAs. Additionally, the investigators wish to investigate the number of aspirations of transoral US-guided needle aspirations compared to aspirations without ultrasound. Methods This is a cluster randomized study. Patients with suspected PTA will be randomized 1:1 to groups A and B. The cluster randomization will happen weekly using an online randomization tool. Participants are patients refeered to the outpatient clinic on suspicion of a peritonsillar absces. The primary outcome is the diagnostic accuracy The investigators aim to determine whether transoral US is a standard part of the clinical examination by comparing clinical examinations with and without US.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole vs. Clindamycin for the Treatment of Children With Invasive MRSA Infections

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) works to treat invasive infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in children. It will also learn about the safety of TMP-SMX in the treatment of children with invasive MRSA infections. The main questions it aims to answer are: -Is TMP-SMX effective at successfully treating children with invasive infections due to MRSA? What are the side effects of TMP-SMX in children taking it for invasive infections due to MRSA? Researchers will compare TMP-SMX to a clindamycin (a commonly prescribed antibiotic for the treatment of MRSA in children) to see if TMP-SMX works better, worse or the same as clindamycin for children with invasive infections due to MRSA. Participants will: Take TMP-SMX or clindamycin for the treatment of their invasive infection due to MRSA. Will follow up with the provider treating their invasive infection at the discretion of the treating provider. Keep a diary of their symptoms and any side effects of the medicine

Complicated Infections in Otorhinolaryngology

This observational study aims to learn more about complicated infections treated by otorhinolaryngologists. The main questions to answer are: * What is the management of complicated sinonasal infections in Ljubljana, Slovenia, * What is the management of complicated ear and temporal bone infections in Ljubljana, Slovenia, * What is the management of complicated neck soft tissue infections in Ljubljana, Slovenia, * What is the management of complicated laryngeal infections in Ljubljana, Slovenia Participants will receive standard treatment according to the established evidence-based clinical practice.