Acute infectious supraglottitis in adult population: epidemiology, management, outcomes and predictors of airway intervention.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to analyze the incidence of acute infectious supraglottitis in our center between 2010 and 2020, define the characteristics and trends of those patients and identify factors associated with the need of airway intervention. METHODS: A retrospective single-center observational study of a cohort of patients diagnosed with acute infectious supraglottitis between January 2010 and December 2020. Patients were stratified according to airway management. RESULTS: Eighty eight patients were included: 59 men (67%) and 29 women (33%). A significant upward trend of 9% in the annual incidence rate of supraglottitis was seen during 2010-2020, with an important increase in cases during 2019. Muffled voice (41%) and respiratory distress (38%) were the most common presenting symptoms; and the median duration of symptoms before hospital admission was 2 days [IQR 1; 3]. Airway intervention was performed in fifteen patients (17%). Nine patients (10%) were intubated and six required tracheotomy (7%). Comparing the patients who required airway intervention with those who received a conservative treatment, younger patients (p < 0.01) were more likely to need airway intervention. In logistic regression analysis, we found that epiglottic abscess (p = 0.015), hypersalivation (p = 0.027) and smoking (p = 0.036) were independent factors with a significant association with airway intervention. CONCLUSION: There was an important increase in cases and its severity in 2019, but due to COVID-19 pandemic, it was not possible to define if it was an isolate event or an upward trend. Epiglottic abscess, hypersalivation and smoking could be possible risk factors for airway intervention.

Epiglottitis in the United States: national trends, variances, prognosis, and management.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To study national trends, variances, and outcomes in patients admitted with epiglottitis in the United States. We hypothesize that the incidence of epiglottitis has decreased, mortality has decreased, and that there has been a shift toward older patients being admitted with epiglottitis. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of a dataset for years 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was searched using ICD-9 CM codes for epiglottitis with obstruction (464.30) and without obstruction (464.31). Characteristics studied included patient demographics, hospital information, and admission variables. Weighted admissions were analyzed to facilitate national estimates. RESULTS: There was a trend toward decreasing admissions over the study period, from 4587.17 cases (1998) to 3772.49 cases (2006); the mean over the study period was 4062.52 cases/year. The mean age of a patient with epiglottitis has remained relatively constant at 44.94 years over the study period; there are less frequent admissions in the 18 years and younger age cohorts, with an increase in the ages 45 to 64 years old and in patients over 85 years old. Mean length of stay is 4.15 days. Mean total charges for an admission of epiglottitis was $17,204.02 (standard deviation, $5,894). There was a trend toward increased total charges for the management of epiglottitis from total charges of $10,738.60 (1998) to $25,071.62 (2006). The South had a predominantly higher proportion of epiglottitis admissions during the study period. The gender distribution remained consistent over the study years at approximately 60:40 for males:female. Mortality remained constant at approximately 36 cases per year for a national mortality rate from epiglottitis of 0.89%. The month with the highest percentage of admissions was December; April was the month with the lowest. The majority of admissions were via the emergency department; patients were transferred in 2.88% of admissions. Over two thirds of admissions were Caucasian patients. Hospital level measures included the majority of patients were treated in an urban hospital location (82%); a minority (41%) were treated at a teaching hospital. Insurance status was private insurance in 50.02%, Medicare 20.84%, and Medicaid 12.46%. The proportion of patients that were intubated was 13.18%; 3.62% underwent a tracheotomy. Additional diagnoses in admitted patients included concomitant cardiovascular (38.75%), infectious (27.17%), respiratory (22.88%), diabetes (13.26%), and substance abuse (18.86%) diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: An 8-year retrospective review of epiglottitis admissions revealed that epiglottitis continues to be a significant clinical entity in the United States. The portrait of a typical patient that will be admitted with epiglottitis is a mid-40-year-old, Caucasian, urban, male, with comorbid medical conditions, who will remain in the hospital on average for 4 days, resulting in total charges of $25,072 (2006 dollars). The majority of the mortalities are in adult patients. The majority of patients with epiglottitis has significant medical comorbid conditions and will be managed at the admitting hospital and not be transferred. This series identifies two newly recognized and uniquely vulnerable populations for epiglottitis: infants (<1 year old) and the elderly (patients >85 years old).

Airway management in pediatric epiglottitis: a national perspective.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe current demographics and resource utilization in the treatment of pediatric epiglottitis. STUDY DESIGN: Case series from a national database. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The Kids' Inpatient Database was systematically searched to extract patients under 19 years old admitted with a diagnosis of epiglottitis and undergoing an airway intervention. RESULTS: Three hundred forty-two sampled admissions were for epiglottitis; 40 of these patients were under the age of 19 and had an airway intervention (intubation or tracheotomy). On average, patients were 4.3 years old (SD = 6.0 years). The average length of stay was 15.6 days (SD = 33.9 and range = 0-199) with average total charges of $74,931 (SD = $163,387, range = $3342-$938,512). Multivariate analysis revealed that admission to a children's facility, admission other than via the emergency room, and nonemergent admission were associated with increased total charges. Twenty-two states reported an admission for pediatric epiglottitis that required airway intervention. CONCLUSIONS: In our sample, only 40 patients were identified who were under the age of 19 years and required an airway intervention for the treatment of epiglottitis. Epiglottitis is a rare, expensive, and protracted disease to treat in the postvaccine era. The unique nature of this disease has implications for training future surgeons on proper management of this potentially fatal disease.

Acute epiglottitis: epidemiology, clinical presentation, management and outcome.

AIMS: To describe the incidence trends, clinical presentation, management and outcome of acute epiglottitis in a Danish population after the introduction of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine. METHODS: Retrospective review of the health records of all patients discharged with a diagnosis of acute epiglottitis from the otolaryngology department, Roskilde County Hospital, Denmark, from 1996 to 2005. RESULTS: One infant and 34 adults were identified. The incidence of acute epiglottitis in children was 0.02 cases/100,000/year. Before introduction of the H influenzae type b vaccination (1983-1992), the mean national incidence of acute epiglottitis was 4.9 cases/100,000/year. The incidence of acute epiglottitis in adults was constant, with a mean value of 1.9 cases/100,000/year. Twenty-nine per cent of the patients required an artificial airway, and respiratory distress was found to be associated with airway intervention (p = 0.010). All patients recovered completely. CONCLUSIONS: In the H influenzae type b vaccine era, acute epiglottitis in children has almost disappeared. The incidence in the adult population has been constant. A discriminate approach to airway management seems safe in adults.