Table 1.
Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the study population
| Characteristic | n = 111 | |
|---|---|---|
| Mean, median (range) age | 31.0, 27.0 (5–78 years) | |
| Gender | Female | 47 (42.3) |
| Male | 64 (57.7) | |
| Dental statusa | Healthy teeth (1) | 24 (24.0) |
| Filled teeth (2) | 41 (41.0) | |
| Single cavities (3) | 24 (24.0) | |
| Dental caries (4) | 11 (11.0) | |
| Smokersa | 22 (22.0) | |
| Recurrent pharyngotonsillitis in the pastb | 39 (35.5) | |
| Abscess side/laterality | Left | 68 (61.3) |
| Right | 41 (36.9) | |
| Bilateral | 2 (1.8) | |
| Previous PTA episodes | 9 (8.1) | |
| Seasonal presentation | Winter | 25 (22.5) |
| Spring | 26 (23.4) | |
| Summer | 33 (29.7) | |
| Autumn | 27 (24.3) | |
| Mean, median (range) hospital stay | 5.0, 5.0 (1–17 days) | |
| Mean, median (range) CRP value (mg/L)c | 101.8, 77.3 (2.0−338.0) | |
| Mean, median (range) WBC value (×103/μl)d | 15.2, 14.7 (4.4−61.3) | |
| Antibiotic therapy prior to admission | 52 (46.8) | |
| Comorbidities | 30 (27.0) | |
Values are numbers (%), unless stated otherwise
PTA peritonsillar abscess, CRP C-reactive protein, WBC white blood cells
a, b, c, dData available for 100, 110, 93 and 105 patients, respectively