Does a trial on the effects of ventilation tubes influence clinical practice?

A survey was performed to study the implementation of the results of a clinical trial on the effect of ventilation tubes on daily clinical practice. Two random samples of 75 Dutch otorhinolaryngologists each were drawn: one before the conduction of the trial and another after the results were disseminated. In both surveys participants were asked to give their personal estimate of the probability of complete recovery without treatment and after the insertion of ventilation tubes in an infant with bilateral otitis media with effusion. The trial showed no long lasting effects of ventilation tubes on hearing, language development and quality of life, yet, the overall expectation with respect to the effect of ventilation tubes remained high. The study suggests that the adoption of research results require more than simple dissemination of the results. (Inter)national debate is recommended to value the results of clinical trials for daily practice.