Influence of sensitization to inhalative allergens on adenotonsillar disease.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the influence of IgE-mediated sensitization on adenotonsillar disease in children. We compared follow-up after tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy of atopic and nonatopic children.Study design and setting A prospective study of 293 children consecutively undergoing tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy was conducted at a university hospital center. Preoperative and postoperative (1-year follow-up) allergy-related symptom scores were obtained by parents. Intraoperative total serum IgE, the screening test sx1 (Pharmacia), and, if positive, serum specific IgE to inhalative allergens were carried out. RESULTS: Sixty-seven children (22.9%) showed positive RAST results to inhalative allergens (class 1 to 6). In both sensitized and nonsensitized groups, the general health was improved in more than 89% at 1 year postoperatively. No significant difference of postoperative nasal symptoms between the atopic and nonatopic groups was found. CONCLUSION: Both atopic and nonatopic children with adenotonsillar disease improve health after adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy. In our opinion, routine allergy tests before adenotonsillectomy or adenoidectomy are not justified. Only if allergy is suspected due to clinical findings or family history should an allergy test be carried out.