[Results of the clinical study of the combination of flurbiprofen and cetylpyridinium chloride in patients with sore throat]. / Rezul'taty klinicheskogo issledovaniya kombinatsii flurbiprofena i tsetilpiridiniya khlorida u patsientov s bol'yu v gorle.

Sore throat is one of the most frequent complaints with which patients seek medical help from an otorhinolaryngologist, therapist and pediatrician. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combined topical drug with flurbiprofen and cetylpyridinium chloride compared with a monocomponent drug in patients with sore throat associated with manifestations of acute pharyngitis, tonsillitis or with exacerbation of chronic forms of pharyngitis or tonsillitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, open, randomized, comparative study in parallel groups included 266 adult patients aged 18 to 60 years with an established diagnosis of acute pharyngitis or acute tonsillitis with the main complaint of sore throat caused by viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. The patients included in the study were randomized into two groups of 133 participants each: the 1st group included patients who received the combined agent flurbiprofen 8.75 mg and cetylpyridinium chloride 1.0 mg in the form of tablets for resorption; the 2nd group included patients who received cetylpyridinium chloride 1.2 mg in the form of medicinal lozenges. The effectiveness was evaluated on three scales - STPIS, TPA, STPR, reflecting indicators of the dynamics of the disease. RESULTS: The studied combination turned out to be more effective than the monocomponent remedy and was characterized by a more pronounced decrease in the intensity of sore throat within 2 hours after taking the drug and a decrease in pharyngeal hyperemia. CONCLUSION: According to results of the study, the use of a drug based on the combination of flurbiprofen and cetylpyridinium chloride was accompanied by a rapid and pronounced decrease in the intensity of sore throat and pharyngeal hyperemia in patients with upper respiratory tract infections.

Is adenotonsillectomy safe in covid-19 era? Investigation of sars-cov2 in adenoid and tonsil tissues.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 has seriously altered physicians' approach to patients and diseases, with a tendency to postpone elective procedures. Tonsillectomy, alone or with adenoidectomy, is one of the most common surgeries performed by otolaryngologists. Although they are generally accepted as elective surgeries, they significantly improve the quality of life, and postponing these surgeries for a long time can have deteriorative effects on the patients. We aimed to investigate the presence of SARS CoV-2 in the adenotonsillectomy materials to find out if performing adenotonsillectomy is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Forty-eight tissue samples from 32 patients that underwent tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy were investigated whose SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test in the samples obtained from nasopharyngeal (NP) and oropharyngeal (OP) swabs were negative within 24 h before the operation. While 16 patients underwent only tonsillectomy and one of their tonsils was investigated, 16 of the patients underwent adenotonsillectomy and their adenoid tissues were sent along with one of their tonsils. SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was investigated with Real-Time PCR in tissue samples. RESULTS: Two (4.2%) tissue samples had positive PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2, while 46 of them were negative. One of the positive patients had undergone tonsillectomy with the indication of chronic recurrent tonsillitis, and the other patient had undergone adenotonsillectomy for obstructive adenotonsillar hypertrophy. PCR test was positive in the adenoidectomy specimen and negative in the tonsillectomy specimen in this patient. CONCLUSIONS: Adenotonsillectomy can be done safely in asymptomatic patients without a history of Covid-19, with a negative PCR test result obtained within the last 24 h.

Evaluation of Secondary Post-Tonsillectomy Bleeding among Children in Saudi Arabia: Risk Factor Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tonsillectomy is one of the most widely recognized surgeries for tonsillitis. It is the default surgery option for obstructive sleep apnea, recurrent tonsillitis, and recurrent peritonsillar abscess. However, there are limited risk factor analyses in Saudi Arabia related to tonsillectomy. The goal of study is to evaluate and analyze the risk factors for secondary post-tonsillectomy bleeding in Saudi Arabia. METHOD: This retrospective review study was directed at King Abdullah Specialized Children's Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Univariate and multivariate investigations were performed to decide the risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 713 children were included. Post-tonsillectomy bleeding occurred in only 5.3% of tonsillectomies. There was no seasonal variation impact on post-tonsillectomy bleeding rate (P = .8). The multivariate analysis showed a significant association between post-tonsillectomy bleeding and both age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.156; 95% CI: 1.007-1.326; P = .039) and sleep disorder breathing/obstructive sleep apnea (OR = 3.581; 95% CI: 1.454-8.820; P = .006). CONCLUSION: This study revealed that age, sleep disorder/obstructive sleep apnea, and longer hospital stay after tonsillectomy are significant risk factors for post-tonsillectomy bleeding. This study provides an important baseline for further local studies in the future.

Impact of tonsillectomy on COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study of the incidence and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Due to many different reasons such as possible coronavirus colonization in tonsillar tissue, decreased enzymatic antiviral activity, decreased cytokine activity from palatine tonsil tissue and reduced humoral and cellular immune response, tonsillectomy may alter the incidence of Covid-19. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To reveal the frequency of Covid-19 in patients who underwent tonsillectomy and to analyze the effect of tonsillectomy on the severity of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients aged between 15 and 65 and had a history of tonsillectomy were compared with control group in terms of incidence and severity of Covid-19 disease. RESULTS: A 4% Covid rRT-PCR test positivity rate was detected in patients with tonsillectomy whereas; it was 6.8% in the control group with a statistically significant difference. However, in terms of disease severity there was no difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: It has been proven that tonsillectomy surgery does not pose an additional risk in terms of COVID 19 disease severity. The positive effect of tonsillectomy in terms of disease frequency has been even demonstrated for the first time in the literature.

Relationship of endoplasmic reticulum stress with the etiopathogenesis of chronic tonsillitis and tonsillar hypertrophy in pediatric patients: a prospective, parallel-group study.

OBJECTIVES: Tonsil tissue is a very important component of the human immunity system, contributing to the functioning of the cellular and humoral defence system, especially in childhood. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle that has a very important function in the balanced functioning of cells, in which the accumulation of a cellular protein called ER stress occurs in case of dysfunction. ER stress influences the pathogenesis of many diseases and immune system functions. We aimed to investigate the relation between the diseases of tonsil tissue and ER stress response to elucidate the mechanisms of diseases related with the immune system. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted in 46 children aged between 2 and 16 years who underwent tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis or tonsillar hypertrophy. Tonsil tissue was separated into two groups according to their size and evaluated in terms of ER stress markers and apoptosis markers by Real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: The ΔCT levels of ER stress markers (ATF4, ATF6, CHOP, GRP78, EIF2AK3, ERN1, GRP94) were greater in children with chronic tonsillitis (p < 0.005). In contrast, the tonsillar hypertrophy group had greater ΔCT levels of apoptosis markers (BAX, BCL-2) according to the Real-time PCR method (p < 0.005). According to the Western blot analysis, the normalized levels of ATF4, ATF6, CHOP, GRP78, and ERN1 genes were found greater in the chronic tonsillitis group than the tonsillar hypertrophy group. There was no difference between the two groups in terms of normalized BCL-2 and BAX levels by Western blot analysis. CONCLUSION: This is the first study in the literature investigating the effect of the ER stress pathway on the etiopathogenesis of tonsil diseases. It was concluded that the ER stress pathway plays a role in the etiopathogenesis of chronic tonsillitis. Investigating the relationship between ER stress and structures such as the tonsil tissue that make up the immune system can help create new treatment strategies. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04653376.

Coblation cryptolysis method in treatment of tonsil caseum-induced halitosis.

PURPOSE: Halitosis, is a social problem affecting many patients seeking help from clinicians. Tonsil stones can cause halitosis and especially occur in crypts of palatine tonsils. Coblation cryptolysis is an alternative method for tonsil caseum treatment. The coblation technology includes passing a radiofrequency bipolar electrical current through a medium of normal saline which results in the production of a plasma field of sodium ions. In this study, our aim was to investigate the effectiveness of coblator cryptolysis treatment method in chronic caseous tonsillitis-induced halitosis. METHODS: We included in our study 28 patients who underwent coblator cryptolysis surgery for halitosis due to chronic caseous tonsillitis. The efficacy of treatment and the presence of caseoma were evaluated with the Finkelstein test, organoleptic test and VAS before the procedure and at the 6th month control after the treatment was completed. RESULTS: At the 6th month follow-up after the procedure (a single coblation cryptolysis) we found that 23 of the patients (82.1%) had no caseum. There was a statistically significant change in Finkelstein measurements before and after the procedure (p < 0.001). Organoleptic measurements demonstrated that 21 patients had no halitosis postoperatively and the mean organoleptic test score was calculated as 0.39 ± 0.79 after the procedure. The recovery was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The mean VAS score before coblation cryptolysis was 8.0 ± 1.33 (range 5-10). On the other hand 6 months after a single coblation cryptolysis session, the mean VAS score was 1.25 ± 1.78 (range: 0-6). This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that coblation crptolysis is an effective, safe, minimally invasive and practical alternative method in treatment of halitosis due to tonsil caseums. We did not observe any complication after the procedure.

Recurrent tonsillitis and parental perceptions of tonsillectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus outbreak has triggered the implementation of nationwide social distancing measures. We aimed to investigate the impact on patients with recurrent tonsillitis and parental perceptions towards tonsillectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A telephone questionnaire was conducted for all children awaiting tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis after social distancing for 2 months at our centre. The COVID-19 lockdown period was compared with the 2 months prior to lockdown. RESULTS: Forty-four children had been social distancing at home during lockdown. There was a significant reduction in tonsillitis episodes during the 2-month lockdown period in comparison with 2 months prior to lockdown (p = 0.0001). In 70% (n = 31) of cases parents wanted their child's tonsillectomy during the coronavirus outbreak. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that viral exposure is a key factor in the pathophysiology of recurrent tonsillitis and that social distancing measures can reduce the frequency of recurrent tonsillitis. Despite the overall reduction in tonsillitis frequency during the lockdown period, the majority of parents wanted their child's tonsillectomy during the coronavirus outbreak. This demonstrates the impact tonsillitis has on the patient and their family's quality of life.

Sudden and unexpected death due to unilateral tonsillitis.

Tonsillitis is a relatively well treatable disease. Complications of untreated tonsillitis can even today result in life-threatening complications. The aim of this study is to present a case of a 47-year-old man without previous history of health problems, who suffocated after a brief episode of breathing difficulties. At the forensic autopsy, left-side necrotising tonsillitis with adjacent soft tissue, uvula, and epiglottis swelling and inflammation and significant airway narrowing were found.

The Association Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Recurrent Tonsillitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The role of vitamin D deficiency has been linked with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, but its impact on the frequency of tonsillitis is not yet fully understood. The objective of this study is to determine the association between vitamin D deficiency and recurrent tonsillitis based on current literature. DATA SOURCE: A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. Data were collected from online medical databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Collaboration Registry of Controlled Trials). REVIEW METHODS: All studies addressing the association of vitamin D deficiency and recurrent tonsillitis prior to March 2019. The data were collected in different phases: screening review using search words and controlled vocabularies followed by detailed review of screened articles based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, then a full review that included screening the references of selected articles. RESULTS: Fifty-three studies were potentially eligible; of these, 4 publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the quantitative synthesis. There was a statistically significant reduction of vitamin D levels in patients with recurrent tonsillitis as compared to healthy controls (mean difference, -10.71; 95% CI, -19.12 to -2.31; P = .01). The odds of vitamin D insufficiency were significantly higher in patients with recurrent tonsillitis as compared to the control group (odds ratio, 4.37; 95% CI, 2.78-6.88; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency was present in patients with recurrent tonsillitis and might be associated with an increase in the risk of recurrent tonsillitis. There is a need to explore these findings via clinical trials based on large populations.

Hemorrhagic tonsillitis in an infant: A case report.

This case report describes a case of severe hemorrhagic tonsillitis in a nine month-old child who suffered significant amount of blood loss and was emergently taken to operating room for control of hemorrhage. The child was brought to emergency room by mom after noticing blood around child's mouth and nose and a subsequent episode of hematemesis having awoken from sleep. Initial impression was bleeding secondary to epistaxis however a thorough bedside otolaryngology exam including flexible rhinolaryngoscopy ruled this out. Rapid pooling of blood in oropharynx, continued hemorrhage with significant blood loss and recent history of hematemesis prompted emergent intervention in operating room for endoscopy for control of hemorrhage including esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Bleeding was identified from a blood vessel at left lower tonsil pole. Although there is a description in literature of such cases, these are uncommon in the pediatric population and none has been described in a patient this young requiring emergent operative intervention. This case report discusses the diagnostic and decision making dilemma in an infant in setting of ongoing active hemorrhage and the role of multidisciplinary team management.

Total versus subtotal tonsillectomy for recurrent tonsillitis - a prospective randomized noninferiority clinical trial.

Background: For many years experts have called for randomized controlled trials to resolve the question whether tonsillectomy, which is associated with significant comorbidity, can be replaced by partial tonsillectomy in patients with recurrent tonsillitis.Objective: To find out whether subtotal tonsillectomy is a suitable therapeutic alternative to total tonsillectomy in adult patients with recurrent episodes of acute tonsillitis.Material and methods: Study design - Single-blind prospective non-inferiority randomized clinical trial with intraindividual design. Setting - 80 patients were recruited at a tertiary referral center. Subjects - Adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis received total tonsillectomy on one side and subtotal tonsillectomy on the other side after randomization. Main outcome measure was frequency of postoperative tonsillitis on the side of subtotal tonsillectomy and postoperative pharyngitis in the former tonsil area on the side of total tonsillectomy. The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00015628).Results: Within 12 months none of the subjects suffered from recurrent tonsillitis after subtotal tonsillectomy. Subtotal tonsillectomy caused less pain than total tonsillectomy.Conclusion: Subtotal tonsillectomy might be an alternative treatment option associated with lower morbidity than total tonsillectomy in adults with recurrent tonsillitis.

[Exudative tonsillitis in children. How can we reduce the unnecessary antibiotic consumption?] / Lepedékes tonsilla gyermekkorban. Hogyan csökkentheto az indokolatlan antibiotikumfelhasználás?

Introduction: Exudative tonsillitis is a common clinical picture during childhood. The majority of these cases are caused by viruses (Epstein-Barr virus [EBV], cytomegalovirus [CMV], influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, and adenovirus), and only some infections are caused by bacteria, mainly group A streptococci (GAS). On the basis of international guidelines, routine use of early antibiotic treatment is not recommended in these cases, because it seems not to prevent GAS-associated complications. Aim: Our aim was to determine those laboratory results which are useful to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections in children with exudative tonsillitis to reduce antibiotic overuse. Method: In our study, we evaluated 135 clinical data from 133 children with exudative tonsillitis. Patients were grouped according to the following criteria: the first group contained patients with acute CMV or EBV infections, while in the second group, CMV or EBV infections were not confirmed using serology. Results: On the basis of our results, EBV or CMV infections (66/135, 48.8%) were serologically confirmed in the majority of cases with exudative tonsillitis between 2016 and 2017, while the causative role of GAS was minimal in this patient group (3/65, 4.61%). In spite of this finding, the majority of patients (92%) were treated with antibiotics. Conclusion: Our retrospective findings confirmed that it is not possible to determine the causative agent of this clinical picture on the basis of symptoms, and physical findings, moreover laboratory results, such as high white blood cell count could not confirm bacterial infection. At the same time, elevated transaminase levels may refer to viral origin of infection, especially EBV or CMV with high predictive value; the use of extended laboratory tests may reduce the unnecessary antibiotic consumption. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(2): 50-55.

Relationship between tissue and serum eosinophilia in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy with allergic rhinitis

Background/aim: Previous reports suggested that allergic/eosinophilic inflammation affects the adenoid and tonsillar tissue. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the tissue and serum eosinophilia in children undergoing adenotonsillectomy with allergic rhinitis. Materials and methods: The clinical registers of 125 children undergoing adenoidectomy/tonsillectomy due to adenoid/tonsil hypertrophy were examined and reviewed retrospectively. Fifty-seven children with positive skin prick test and symptoms of allergic rhinitis were included in the study as the atopic group, whereas 68 children with no allergic symptoms and negative skin prick test were included as the nonatopic group. Consequently, the total immunoglobulin E level and the serum and tissue eosinophilia of the atopic and nonatopic groups were compared. Results: Serum eosinophilia in the atopic group was found to be significantly higher than in the nonatopic group (P = 0.045). A significantly higher eosinophil count was found in adenoid/tonsil tissue of the atopic group (P < 0.001, P = 0.023, respectively). However, no significant correlation between tissue and serum eosinophilia was found. Conclusion: The inconsistency between tissue and serum eosinophilia in atopic children would particularly indicate a role of local atopy in adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Further studies are needed to better understand the effect and usefulness of serum and tissue eosinophilia in children with allergic rhinitis.

Impact of adenotonsillectomy on the evolution of inflammatory markers.

BACKGROUND: Tonsils are first-line host defence organs against pathogenic agents and participate in local and systemic immunity. Persistent increases in systemic inflammatory responses may contribute to associated morbidity. The aim of this study was to verify the short- and long-term impact of adenotonsillectomy on the evolution of inflammatory markers in 3- to 9-year-old children. METHODS: A prospective and longitudinal study was conducted over 1 year in 29 children who underwent tonsillectomy due to either chronic tonsillitis or adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Measurements of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were taken. Levels of Th1-type cytokines [interleukin-1, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] and anti-inflammatory Th2-type cytokines [interleukin-4, -5, -6, -10 and -13] were measured. Levels of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were also determined. The results were compared to those of 29 control children. RESULTS: At baseline, children with surgery indications presented with higher levels of hs-CRP, interleukin-1 and -10, interferon-γ, TNF-α and ICAM-1, whereas values of interleukin-4 were significantly lower than in control children. Children with severe tonsillar obstruction had higher values of interleukin-1, -4, and -5 and lower values of interleukin-10 compared with children with recurrent tonsillitis. One year after surgery, the levels except IL-4 did not show a significant difference from those obtained in the control group. The levels of hs-CRP and TNF-α decreased significantly in the first month. CONCLUSION: Children with chronic tonsillitis and/or adenotonsillar hypertrophy have significantly elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Adenotonsillectomy restores the normal values of these parameters 1 year after surgery.

Prevalence of humoral immunodeficiency in adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis.

PURPOSE: Recurrent tonsillitis in adults has a significant impact on patients' daily life and healthcare costs. Humoral immunodeficiency increases the susceptibility to recurrent infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and contribution of humoral immunodeficiency in adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study conducted over 3 years duration with two groups of subjects. Group 1: included 50 normal adult subjects and group 2: included 50 adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis. Recruitment occurred in a tertiary care hospital in Egypt. Different immunoglobulins (Ig A, Ig M and Ig G isotypes) were quantitatively assessed and compared in 2 groups. Incidence of different infections was also compared in patients with humoral immunodeficiency versus patients with intact immunity. RESULTS: 4 (8%) subjects in group 1 had selective humoral Immunodeficiency versus 13 (26%) patients in group 2. Patients with recurrent tonsillitis had significantly lower mean of most assessed immunoglobulins: IgA (P = 0.002), IgM (P = 0.003), IgG (P < 0.0001), IgG1 (P < 0.0001) and IgG3 (P < 0.0001) compared to normal subjects; with no significant difference in mean of IgG2 (P = 0.395) and IgG4 (P = 0.105). Patients with humoral immunodeficiency had significantly higher incidence of tonsillitis (P < 0.0001) and rhinosinusitis (P < 0.0001) attacks compared to patients with normal immunity. CONCLUSION: Adult patients with recurrent tonsillitis may have higher prevalence of humoral immunodeficiency compared to normal subjects. These findings suggest that assessment of immune function should be undertaken routinely in these patients.

Preoperative plasma fibrinogen as a predictive factor for post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether preoperative plasma fibrinogen is able to predict severe post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. METHODS: We included 456 patients who underwent tonsillectomy between 2008 and 2013. Preoperative plasma fibrinogen levels (PFL) were assessed in patients who developed severe bleeding requiring surgical revision under general anesthesia compared to those with uneventful postoperative courses. RESULTS: 414 (90.8%) had no severe post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage. In contrast, 42 (9.2%) patients needed surgical hemostasis. PFL were significantly higher (P = .023) in patients with a severe bleeding. Univariate Cox-regression analysis revealed that elevated preoperative fibrinogen represents a significant worse (P = .003; HR 2.66; 95% CI 1.38-5.10) prognostic factor for postoperative bleeding. Even at multivariable analysis, increased PFLs were a significantly worse prognostic factor for post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage (P = .016; HR 15.4; 95% CI 0.01-0.6). High preoperative PFL was associated with significantly higher risk for post-tonsillectomy haemorrhage within the first 31 days after surgery (65% vs 90%; P = .002). Moreover, accurate negative predictive value (NPV) of 95.1% pointed out that PFL could be used as a reliable preoperative screening marker. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated PFL represents an independent worse prognostic factor for severe bleeding after tonsillectomy and could be helpful to identify patients at higher risk for PTH.