To the Editor We read with great interest the article by King et al1 regarding the high prevalence of prolonged antibiotic usage in US adults with sinusitis, especially given the high costs associated with the management of sinusitis along with the potential for selecting antibiotic resistant organisms.
Various organizations, in addition to the Infectious Diseases Society of America, have released statements regarding antibiotic usage for sinusitis. The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends to avoid prescribing antibiotics in the emergency department for uncomplicated sinusitis.2 The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends against routinely prescribing antibiotics for mild-to-moderate sinusitis unless symptoms last for 7 or more days or worsen after initial improvement.3 As such, although initially grouped together for analyses, it would be interesting to see if the different specialties have different trends in treatment durations and compliance with guidelines.