[Antibacterial therapy for acute streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis: results of a randomized comparative clinical trial with amoxicillin + clavulanic acid EXPRESS].

BACKGROUND: Acute tonsillopharyngitis is one of the most common types of respiratory tract infections. In case of bacterial etiologies of the disease, penicillin antibiotics are prescribed, in particular amoxicillin + clavulanic acid. Dispersible forms of antibiotics have a number of advantages over film-coated tablets and are characterized by better pharmacokinetic parameters that increase the effectiveness and safety of treatment, as well as patient compliance. AIM: To compare the effectiveness and safety of Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid EXPRESS in the form of dispersible tablets and amoxicillin with clavulanic acid in film-coated tablets in the treatment of acute streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized comparative clinical study involved 60 adult patients diagnosed with acute streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis. Group 1 (n=30) received the Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid EXPRESS, dispersible tablets, 875+125 mg 2 times a day at the beginning of meals. Group 2 (n=30) received Amoxiclav, film-coated tablets, 875+125 mg 2 times a day at the beginning of meals. The duration of the treatment was 10 days. The following procedures were performed to all participants: general clinical and otorhinolaryngological examinations, an express test to detect group A streptococcal antigens in a smear from the posterior pharyngeal wall (streptatest), assessment of symptoms of acute tonsillopharyngitis on the McIsaac scale, severity of sore throat, difficulty swallowing, swelling of the throat, measurement of body temperature, assessment of the clinical global impression of the therapy, adherence to treatment, frequency of the adverse reactions before treatment, 3 days after the beginning of therapy and after the course completion (day 10). RESULTS: Recovery occurred in 96.6% of patients in group 1 according to examination on the 10th day of treatment and in 93.3% of patients in group 2. The rate of fever regression was higher in group 1 - on the 3rd day of treatment, normalization of temperature was observed in 36.6% and 30% of patients in the comparison group. Pain syndrome, symptoms of throat swelling and difficulty swallowing significantly (p<0.01) regressed by the 10th day in patients of both treatment groups. The incidence of adverse reactions on the 10th day of treatment in group 1 was 10%, in group 2 - 33.3% (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid EXPRESS has high therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of acute streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis, comparable to the Amoxiclav in film-coated tablets. At the same time, dispersible tablets of Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid EXPRESS demonstrated a significantly higher safety profile compared to the simple tablet form.

[New effects of a topical antimicrobial (agent) in the treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis]. / Novye effekty topicheskogo antimikrobnogo preparata v lechenii ostrogo tonzillofaringita.

Sore throat is the leading symptom of acute tonsillopharyngitis associated with previous acute respiratory viral infections, including COVID-19. The pathogenesis of these nosologies is based on the cumulative result of the primary direct damaging effect of viruses and secondary alternative inflammatory changes in the mucosal epithelium in the focus of infection, which, against the background of changes in the functions of the regional microbiota, leads to the development of viral-bacterial inflammation that goes beyond the protective-reparative level. In the treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis after exclusion of GABHS etiology, topical etiotropic drugs are often used. It is desirable to achieve a uniform distribution of active ingredients, and to maximize the use of additional pharmacological capabilities (irrigation-eliminative action, reparative effect). To build up the evidence base for the effectiveness of just such medicines on the basis of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Moscow State Medical University named after. A.I. Evdokimov, an observational prospective comparative study was conducted, using, in addition to the clinical assessment method, cytomorphological approaches (cytomorphometry). The results of the study demonstrated that gargling with a solution of hydroxymethylquinoxylindioxide (Dioxydin 0.25 mg/ml solution for topical application) in adult patients with acute tonsillopharyngitis provides rapid relief of pain, a decrease in the severity of inflammation symptoms, and also makes it possible to achieve limitation of the degree of destruction of the epithelium in the height of inflammation and a more complete and rapid recovery of the damaged mucous membrane by the time of recovery.

Surveillance of noninvasive group A Streptococcus infections in French ambulatory pediatrics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective multicenter study from 2018-2022.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the burden of noninvasive group A Streptococcus (GAS) infections in ambulatory pediatrics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in France. METHODS: We analyzed data from a national network of ambulatory pediatricians between 2018 and 2022. Clinicians evaluating children ≤15 years old for tonsillopharyngitis, perianal infections, paronychia/blistering dactylitis, and scarlet fever were invited to perform a rapid antigen detection test (RADT) for GAS. Monthly incidence of noninvasive GAS infections per 10,000 visits was modeled using time series analysis, considering two breakpoints: March 2020 (first national lockdown) and March 2022 (end of mandatory mask-wearing in schools). RESULTS: Over the study period, 125 pediatricians recorded 271,084 infectious episodes. GAS-related illnesses represented 4.3% of all infections. In March 2020, the incidence of GAS diseases decreased by 84.5% (P <0.001), with no significant trend until March 2022. After March 2022, the incidence significantly increased (+23.8% per month, P <0.001), with similar patterns across all monitored GAS-related diseases. CONCLUSION: By using routine clinical data and RADTs, we have monitored changes in the incidence of noninvasive GAS infections in ambulatory pediatrics. COVID-19 mitigation measures have had a major impact on the epidemiology of noninvasive GAS infections, but their relaxation was followed by a surge above baseline levels.

[Comparative characteristics of the effectiveness of local therapy in acute tonsillopharyngitis]. / Sravnitel'naya kharakteristika effektivnosti mestnoi terapii pri ostrom tonzillofaringite.

Acute tonsillopharyngitis (ATP) is an infectious inflammation of the mucous membrane and lymphadenoid structures of the oropharynx. Sore throat, as the main symptom of ATP, is the most common reason for seeking outpatient medical care or self-medication. Topical therapy of sore throat in the treatment of non-streptococcal ATP is the most effective and safe. In the article, based on their own experience and literature data, the problem of treating patients with sore throat with ATP of non-streptococcal etiology is presented. At the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Evdokimov Moscow State Medical University conducted a study to study the clinical features of the course of ATP and improve the results of local treatment of patients with this pathology. In the course of the study, 75 people were examined, in whom subjective and objective symptoms were assessed. Our study showed that the use of the drug Doritricin demonstrated high efficacy in the treatment of patients with ATP, which contributed to an earlier regression of inflammatory-infiltrative changes in the pharynx, as well as a faster decrease in the level of pain syndrome according to the scores of the visual-analog pain scale.

[Prospects of antimicrobial peptides application in otorhinolaryngology in conditions of increasing antibiotic resistance]. / Perspektivy primeneniya antimikrobnykh peptidov v otorinolaringologii v usloviyakh rastushchei antibiotikorezistentnosti.

The use of antibacterial drugs has become widespread over the past 10-15 years. In this regard, there is a significant increase in antibiotic resistance in the world. Combating this problem has been one of the priorities of WHO since 2015. In light of this situation, the use of antimicrobials with no antibiotic resistance is of paramount importance. Topical antimicrobial peptides are used to treat infectious skin and mucosal diseases. The review highlights the role of the antimicrobial polypeptide thyrotricin and the complex drug doritricin in the treatment of pharyngeal pathology in adults and children according to foreign and domestic literature. The obtained data indicate the effectiveness and safety of a topical complex preparation containing thyrotricin, benzalkonium chloride and benzocaine (doritricin) as a monopreparation in the treatment of viral and bacterial tonsillopharyngitis, as well as in the complex therapy of streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis.

[The value of herbal medicine in the treatment of acute tonsillopharyngitis of non-streptococcal genesis]. / Znachenie fitoterapii v lechenii ostorogo tonzillofaringita nestreptokokkovogo geneza.

The purpose of the study. To establish the effectiveness of symptom reduction and preventive action of the herbal drug Tonsilgon N (HD) as monotherapy for exacerbations of chronic tonsillitis/pharyngitis in adult patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 60 adult male and female patients aged 18 to 60 years with an established diagnosis of acute tonsillopharyngitis. In total, each patient underwent 5 visits. Visit 1 - enrollment in the study and beginning of HD monotherapy, Visit 2 - on Day 7, Visit 3 - on Day 14 and completion of HD monotherapy, Visit 4 - on Day 60 and Visit 5 - on Day 180. The diagnosis of the disease and the examination of the patient was carried out on the basis of anamnesis, general clinical and ENT examination, palpation of regional lymph nodes. The severity of the clinical signs was evaluated on the basis of the symptom score. The general condition of the patient was also evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and the number of exacerbations of tonsillopharyngitis during the observation period. RESULTS: The number of exacerbations of chronic tonsillitis and episodes of ATP for 6 months after the end of treatment decreased 4.8 times compared to the previous period. During the course of treatment (14 days), complaints of patients with ATP (general health and/or fatigue, pain when swallowing, headache, cough, burning sensation, a lump in the throat, hoarseness, pain and dryness in the throat, difficulty swallowing) had a pronounced tendency to regression. Improvement was also noted on examination and clinical evaluation. According to the results of the analysis of the evaluation of general condition according to the VAS (according to the standard technique in cm), there was a significant improvement both during the treatment period by 2.2 times, and during the observation period (180 days) from the period of Visit 2 to Visit 4 by 31.3 times. CONCLUSION: The use of HD as monotherapy for non-streptococcal ATP has shown its high efficiency. The possibility of using Tonsilgon N was shown as a prophylactic agent that reduces the number of exacerbations of inflammatory diseases in the pharynx during the period after the treatment course.

A unique case of Lemierre's syndrome status post blunt cervical trauma.

BACKGROUND: Lemierre's syndrome is a rare but potentially fatal condition. The course is characterized by acute tonsillopharyngitis, bacteremia, internal jugular vein thrombosis, and septic embolization. There have been some cases secondary to penetrating trauma to the neck. Literature review has yielded no cases secondary to blunt neck trauma in the absence of oropharyngeal injury. We aim to shed light on this unique cause of Lemierre's syndrome, so as to raise the index of suspicion for clinicians working up patients with blunt cervical trauma. METHODS: We present a case of a 25-year-old male restrained driver who presented with left neck and shoulder pain with a superficial abrasion to the left neck from the seatbelt who was discharged same day by the Emergency Room physicians. He returned to the Emergency Department two days later with abdominal pain. As a part of his repeat evaluation, a set of blood cultures were sent and was sent home that day. The patient was called back to the hospital one day later as preliminary blood cultures were positive for Gram positive cocci and Gram negative anaerobes. Computerized tomography scan of the neck revealed extensive occlusive left internal jugular vein thrombosis and fluid collections concerning for abscesses, concerning for septic thrombophlebitis. The patient continued to decompensate, developing severe sepsis complicated by disseminated intravascular coagulation. RESULTS: The patient underwent a left neck exploration with en bloc resection of the left internal jugular vein, drainage of abscesses deep to the sternocleidomastoid, and washout/debridement of necrotic tissue. Direct laryngoscopy at the time of surgery revealed no injury to the aerodigestive tract. Wound cultures were consistent with blood cultures and grew Fusobacterium necrophorum, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. The patient underwent two subsequent operative wound explorations without any evidence of residual infection. The patient was discharged home on postoperative day 13 on a course of antibiotics and aspirin. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates the importance of diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome after an unconventional inciting event (blunt cervical trauma) and appropriate treatment.

[Topical drugs for the treatment of non-streptococcal acute tonsillopharyngitis in children: results of a multicenter study]. / Topicheskie preparaty dlya lecheniya nestreptokokkovogo ostrogo tonzillofaringita u detei: rezul'taty mnogotsentrovogo issledovaniya.

INTRODUCTION: Acute tonsillopharyngitis (ATP) is a very common disease in children. In non-streptococcal ATP, systemic antibiotics are usually not indicated, but topical antimicrobial therapy is advisable. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the combination of cetylpyridinium chloride with gramicidin C in the form of a spray in children with ATP in a prospective multicenter non-interventional study.Patients and methods. The study included 94 patients aged 6-15 years with non-streptococcal ATP. A standard examination, assessment of the pain intensity in the throat using a visual analogue scale, assessment of the pain frequency during swallowing and a score assessment of objective manifestations were carried out. Sixty-eight patients of the main group received a combination of cetylpyridinium chloride with gramicidin C (Grammidin for children) in the form of a spray, 26 patients of the control group received throat irrigation with saline solution (based on sea water) for 7 days. Therapy was assessed after 1 day (by phone), 4 and 8 days (by examination). RESULTS: The groups of patients did not differ significantly in terms of demographic indicators and initial clinical manifestations. Body temperature initially did not differ, but was significantly lower in the main group after 1 (p=0.003) and 4 (p=0.04) days. The sore throat pain intensity decrease in the main group significantly exceeded this indicator in the control group after 1 (p<0.001) and 4 (p <0.001) days. Initially, swallowing pain was observed in all patients, after 4 days the complaint was significantly less frequent in the main group (p<0.001). The total assessment of objective data was significantly lower in the main group after 4 (p<0.001) and 8 (p<0.001) days. No adverse effects of pharmacotherapy were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed high efficacy and safety of the cetylpyridinium chloride and gramicidin C (in the form of a spray) combination for non-streptococcal ATP in children aged 6-15 years.

Alteration of thiol-disulphide homeostasis in acute tonsillopharyngitis.

OBJECTIVE: Thiol-disulphide homeostasis (TDH) has a critical role in various clinical disorders. We aimed to assess the association of TDH with acute tonsillopharyngitis (AT) in children. METHODS: This study included 94 (73 viral and 21 bacterial) tonsillopharyngitis patients and 88 control children. Their native thiol, total thiol, and disulphide levels were measured. RESULTS: Viral and bacterial tonsillopharyngitis patients had lower native thiol levels compared with healthy children (P < 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). Both groups had lower total thiol levels compared with control children (P = 0.002 for viral, P = 0.011 for bacterial). The disulphide levels were lower in bacterial than in viral tonsillopharyngitis patients (P = 0.04), and there was a significant difference between viral tonsillopharyngitis patients and the control group (P < 0.001). The native/total thiol ratio in each patient group was lower than in the control group (P < 0.001 for viral, P = 0.017 for bacterial). The disulphide/native thiol and disulphide/total thiol ratios were significantly higher in viral (P < 0.001 for both) and bacterial tonsillopharyngitis patients (P = 0.017 for both) than in healthy children. In all patients, a correlation was found between the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and native thiol (r = -0.211, P = 0.04), CRP and total thiol (r = -0.217, P = 0.036), white blood cell (WBC) and native thiol (r = -0.228, P = 0.002), WBC and total thiol (r = -0.191, P = 0.01), and WBC and disulphide (r = 0.160, P = 0.03). DISCUSSION: TDH is altered in AT in children. The alteration is more prominent in viral than in bacterial tonsillopharyngitis.