Ramírez GA, Morales CM, Ortiz VZ

Language: Spanish
References: 5
Page: 19-21
PDF size: 203.71 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Background: Acute infectious illnesses of the tonsils are one of the main consultation reasons in urgencies and also in the otolaryngology practice. Use of steroids as treatment of the acute inflammatory illness of the tonsils is common, even though evidence does not exist in the literature that checks its utility.
Objective: To determine the effectiveness of the dexamethasone and the betamethasone in unique dose as adjuvant in the treatment of the acute pharyngo-tonsilitis and the peritonsiliar abscess, observing the answer about the pain, the fever and the general uneasiness in three times: to the moment of the diagnosis, at the 24 and the 48 hours of the treatment.
Material and methods: All the patients that went to the service of urgencies of the Hospital Español de Mexico between September of 2002 and September of 2003, with acute pharyngo-tonsilitis y/o peritonsiliar abscess were included in the study. They were divided in three groups: the first one received treatment with conventional antibiotics; the second received too (8 mg) intramuscular dexamethasone in one dose and to the third group was given betamethasone dipropionate (5 mg) plus betamethasone disodic phosphate (2 mg) as unique dose. A one to ten analogue scale was used to value the pain and the general uneasiness, in which 10 represents more intensity. Follow-up was carried out for telephone at the 24 and the 48 hours.
Results: 55 patients (11 with peritonsiliar abscesses and 44 with pharyngotonsilitis) with a mean age of 24.9 were studied; 31 were women and 24 men. Of these patients, 15 were assigned to the group 1, in which the pain at the 48 hours received a qualification of 6.2 on the average, as long as the group of the dexamethasone (n = 22) obtained a qualification of 3.3, and in that of betamethasone (n = 18) of 4.5.
Conclusion: Use of systemic steroids as unique dose besides antibiotics improves the quality of life of the patients with peritonsiliar illness, and induces a faster recovery.

REFERENCES

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