Gruber M, Damry D, Ibrahim N, et al. - Researchers analyzed data from 337 patients under 18 years of age presenting with acute otitis externa (AOE) to a pediatric emergency department, to determine characteristics as well as predictors for hospital admission in this patient population. During summer months, about half of the visits presented. Two subgroups were defined: hospitalized and non-hospitalized. Higher rates of failed treatment, and also higher rates of external ear canal edema, systemic fever, canal discharge and auricular edema were observed in the hospitalized sub-group. In multivariable analysis, auricular edema, otorrhea, narrowing of the ear canal by more than 50%, fever, and previous systemic treatment were identified as factors that showed the strongest correlation for hospital admission. In the hospitalized sub-group, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) was isolated in 78% of cultures. Sensitivity to ciprofloxacin was evident in all PA strains. Findings revealed not only the predominant clinical variables which may predict hospitalization in children suffering from AOE but also demonstrated that sensitive strains of PA have a dominant role in the pathogenesis of this condition in children.