[Does clustering exist in non-traumatic epistaxis?]. / Existe agrupación en las epistaxis no traumáticas?

OBJECTIVE: Non traumatic epistaxis seems to be clustering in different periods. This paper tries to find out if there is any relationship between incidence of epistaxis and the year season, month, week, day, hour and/or lunar phase. METHODS: We have retrospectively studied 754 episodes seen between May 2001 and April 2002 in our Hospital. The following parameters were registered in each patient: age, sex, number of episodes, season, month, week, day, hour and lunar phase. RESULTS: Epistaxis represented 12.1% of the total otolaryngological emergencies. That means an incidence of 0.1% of non traumatic epistaxis which needed hospital specialized attention. We found statistical differences (p = 0.003) in the number of epistaxis per day and the different months (greater in june and november). No differences were found in the remaining periods studied. CONCLUSIONS: This paper shows monthly clustering of epistaxis episodes.

¿Existe agrupación en las epistaxis no traumáticas? / Does clustering exist in non traumatic epistaxis?

Objetivo: Las epistaxis no traumáticas parecen concentrarse en determinados períodos del año. El objetivo de este trabajo es demostrar si existe correlación entre la incidencia de epistaxis y las distintas estaciones, meses, semanas, días, horas y/o fases lunares. Material y métodos: Estudiamos retrospectivamente 754 episodios de epistaxis atendidos entre mayo de 2001 y abril de 2002 en nuestra institución. Registramos en cada sujeto la edad, sexo, número del episodio, estación, mes, día de la semana, hora del día y fase lunar. Resultados: Las epistaxis supusieron el 12,1 por ciento de las urgencias atendidas por el servicio ORL. Estimamos una incidencia del 0,1 por ciento de epistaxis no traumáticas que requieren atención hospitalaria especializada. Encontramos diferencias significativas (p=0,003) en el número de episodios por día según los meses del año (mayor en junio y noviembre). No hallamos diferencias entre el resto de parámetros estudiados. Conclusión: Se observa una agrupación mensual de las epistaxis (AU)

OBJECTIVE: Non traumatic epistaxis seems to be clustering in different periods. This paper tries to find out if there is any relationship between incidence of epistaxis and the year season, month, week, day, hour and/or lunar phase. METHODS: We have retrospectively studied 754 episodes seen between May 2001 and April 2002 in our Hospital. The following parameters were registered in each patient: age, sex, number of episodes, season, month, week, day, hour and lunar phase. RESULTS: Epistaxis represented 12.1% of the total otolaryngological emergencies. That means an incidence of 0.1% of non traumatic epistaxis which needed hospital specialized attention. We found statistical differences (p = 0.003) in the number of epistaxis per day and the different months (greater in June and November). No differences were found in the remaining periods studied. CONCLUSIONS: This paper shows monthly clustering of epistaxis episodes (AU)

[The value of waiting in spontaneous remission of recurrent tonsillitis without associated adenoid pathology]. / Utilidad de la espera en la remisión espontánea de la amigdalitis de repetición sin patología adenoidea asociada.

In order to assess the rate of spontaneous remission in children with recurrent acute tonsillitis (RAT), we revised the pediatric patients who were seen between 1994 and 1999. For this purpose, 123 cases that were on the waiting list for tonsillectomy under the indication of RAT without associated adenoid disease were selected. Only 23 (18.7%) of the children who were included in the study were removed from the waiting list after a mean time of 9 months because of spontaneous remission of the disease. Thus, there is no justification for claiming that long waiting lists for tonsillectomy are frequently associated with spontaneous remission of RAT.

Utilidad de la espera en la remisión espontánea de la amigdalitis de repetición sin patología adenoidea asociada / Benefits of waiting for the spontaneous remission of recurrent acute tonsillitis (RAT) with out associated adenoid disease

Con el objeto de determinar el porcentaje de remisiones espontáneas en los casos de amigdalitis de repetición se realizó un estudio que incluía a pacientes pediátricos vistos entre 1994 y 1999. Para ello revisamos los 123 casos puestos en lista de espera quirúrgica por amigdalitis de repetición (AR) durante este período, sin patología adenoidea asociada. En sólo 23 niños (18,7 por ciento), se resolvieron los episodios de AR espontáneamente tras un tiempo medio de 9 meses y, por tanto, fueron retirados de la lista de espera. En conclusión, consideramos que no existe justificación para pensar que períodos largos de espera resuelven de forma espontánea muchos casos de AR (AU)

In order to assess the rate of spontaneous remission in children with recurrent acute tonsillitis (RAT), we revised the pediatric patients who were seen between 1994 and 1999. For this purpose, 123 cases that were on the waiting list for tonsillectomy under the indication of RAT without associated adenoid disease were selected. Only 23 (18.7%) of the children who were included in the study were removed from the waiting list after a mean time of 9 months because of spontaneous remission of the disease. Thus, there is no justification for claiming that long waiting lists for tonsillectomy are frequently associated with spontaneous remission of RAT (AU)