Table 1.
Patient characteristics
| Characteristics | Patients with MMA (n = 526) |
Patients with MMA/h2 (n = 410) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) mean, (SD), range (median) | 40.8 (20.7), 0–88 (38) | 43.3 (19.6), 0–88 (42) |
| Female, n (%) | 227 (43.2) | 179 (43.7) |
| Pediatric*, n (%) | 64 (12.2) | 31 (7.6) |
| Odontogenic infection, n (%) | 146 (28) | 115 (28) |
| Pharyngotonsillar infection, n (%) | 167 (32) | 136 (33) |
| CRP (mg/L) median (IQR), range | 109 (112), 1–555 | 112 (119), 1–555 |
| WBC (× 109/L) mean, (SD), range (median) | 13.6 (5.4), 1.9–41.5 (12.9) | 13.6 (5.1), 1.9–37.0 (12.9) |
| Length of hospital stay (days) mean (SD), range (median) | 4.1 (3.0), 0–38 (3) | 4.2 (3.9), 0–38 (3) |
| Abscess, n (%) | 370 (70.3) | 296 (72.2) |
| RPE, n (%) | 272 (51.7) | 219 (53.4) |
| ME, n (%) | 130 (24.7) | 114 (27.8) |
| MMA (mm2) mean (SD), range (median) | 458.8 (134.6), 82.5–1050.0 (456.7) | 468.6 (125.7), 82.5–1050.0 (462.5) |
| MMA/h2 (mm2/m2) | N.A. | 161.4 (39.9), 45.6–395.1 (156.2) |
SD standard deviation, CRP C-reactive protein, WBC white blood cell count, RPE retropharyngeal edema, ME mediastinal edema, MMA masseter muscle area, MMA/h2 masseter muscle area (mm2) divided by patients’ heights (m) squared
* Aged ≤ 17 years