Adenoiditis natural history, complications and prognosis
Adenoiditis Microchapters |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mahshid Mir, M.D. [2]
Overview
Overview
Acute tonsillitis will usually present with erythema and edema of the tonsils rapidly upon infiltration of the pathogen. It is usually self-limited and symptoms will be resolved within 3-4 days. Recurrent tonsillitis will usually not resolve itself and will require antimicrobrial therapy or tonsillectomy when indicated. Complications of tonsillitis are caused by persistence and/or spread of the responsible pathogen - usually bacterial. The prognosis for acute tonsillitis without treatment is usually good, while the prognosis for untreated recurrent tonsillitis will vary based on presence of life-threatening complications. With treatment, the prognosis of acute and recurrent tonsillitis is usually good.
Natural History
- Acute adenoiditis will usually present with erythema and edema of the adenoids rapidly upon infiltration of the pathogen.[1]
- Symptoms, including fever and sore throat, will usually manifest within 24 hours of infection.
- It is usually combined with tonsilitis due to close anatomical location.
- Acute adenoiditis usually runs its course without complications and resolves within three to four days.
- It is common to see the disease's symptoms in infants before 6 months.
- Recurrent adenoiditis will usually not resolve itself and will require antimicrobrial therapy or adenoidectomy when indicated.[2]
- Left untreated, recurrent adenoiditis may persist and recur over periods of time and can lead to infectious complications.
Complications
Complications of tonsillitis are caused by persistence and/or spread of the responsible pathogen - usually bacterial - and include the following:[1]
- Otitis media
- Acute sinusitis
- Pneumonia
- Adenoid hyperplasia
- Peritonsillar abscess
- Sleep apnea
- Scarlet fever
- Rheumatic fever and cardiomyopathies
- Mostly due to streptotoxin
- Glomerulonephritis
- Tonsilloliths[3]
Prognosis
- The prognosis for acute adenoiditis without treatment is usually good; the disease is usually self-limited and will resolve itself within 3-4 days.[1]
- The prognosis for recurrent adenoiditis varies based on the presence of complications.[4]
- With treatment, the prognosis of acute and recurrent adenoidtis is usually good.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Tonsillitis - NHS Choices".
- ↑ Stuck BA, Götte K, Windfuhr JP, Genzwürker H, Schroten H, Tenenbaum T (2008). "Tonsillectomy in children". Dtsch Arztebl Int. 105 (49): 852–60, quiz 860–1. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2008.0852. PMC 2689639. PMID 19561812.
- ↑ Rio AC, Franchi-Teixeira AR, Nicola EM (2008). "Relationship between the presence of tonsilloliths and halitosis in patients with chronic caseous tonsillitis". Br Dent J. 204 (2): E4. doi:10.1038/bdj.2007.1106. PMID 18037821.
- ↑ "Rheumatic fever: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia".