Table 4 Treatment strategies
Conservative strategy with antibiotics | Liberal strategy without antibiotics |
|---|---|
- Hospital admission; | - Admission only if discharge criteria are not met; |
- Intravenous fluids and at least 48 hours of intravenous antibiotics and subsequently switch to oral antibiotics if tolerated (otherwise continuation i.v.) to complete a full 10-day treatment duration; | - No initial antibiotics; |
- Adequate pain relief (VAS < 4); | - Adequate pain relief (VAS < 4); |
- Oral intake as tolerated; | - Oral intake as tolerated; |
- Daily monitoring. | - Daily monitoring when admitted to the hospital; |
-Self monitoring at home after discharge -Out patient follow-up at regular intervals | - Self monitoring at home. - Out patient follow-up at regular intervals |