Peled C, et al. - Experts sought to assess the association between clinical findings and course of disease among patients with necrotizing otitis externa (NOE). They included 81 patients in the study, corresponding to 83 effected ears. Advanced NOE may be indicated by the duration of complaints and presence of aural discharge and require longer in-hospital treatment. Increased risk for conservative treatment failure and increased likeliness to require surgery was seen in the elderly patients. A wider empirical treatment covering nontraditional pathogens should be considered with shifting incidence of pathogens.