The ten-day mark as a practical diagnostic approach for acute paranasal sinusitis in children.
BACKGROUND
Sinusitis is one of the diseases most frequently overlooked by the primary practitioner.


METHODS
We suspected the diagnosis of sinusitis in children with respiratory symptoms that persisted for > 10 days: the 10-day mark. A radiographic projection of maxillary sinuses (Water's view) was indicated, and patients with abnormal radiographs were diagnosed as having sinusitis. After antimicrobial treatment for 2 weeks, we evaluated clinical outcome and follow-up radiographs.


RESULTS
The 10-day mark culled 146 suspected children from 2013 outpatients with respiratory complaints. Water's view radiographs revealed sinusitis in 135 patients (92.5% of the suspected children). They included 35 patients with allergy. After treatment only 4 patients in the allergy group (11%) improved completely. In contrast 61 nonallergic patients (61%) were completely improved.


CONCLUSIONS
The 10-day mark is a simple and practical diagnostic basis for acute paranasal sinusitis. The associated allergic respiratory diseases respond infrequently to antimicrobial treatment.
Ueda
D
D
Department of Pediatrics, Sapporo Higashi-Tokushukai Hospital, Japan.
Yoto
Y
Y
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015523:Maxillary Sinusitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents