title: Acute mastoiditis: predictors for surgery.
abstract: To estimate the incidence of acute mastoiditis and identify predictors for mastoid surgery, a retrospective case record study of 38 children hospitalised for acute mastoiditis in Oslo from 1989 to 1998 was performed. Median age at diagnosis was 18 months and 13 (34%) of the children received mastoidectomy. Compared to the period 1970-1979, the incidence of mastoidectomy was significantly reduced. Only seven children (18%) had experienced acute otitis media prior to the current episode. Symptom duration of 6 days or more prior to hospitalisation and elevated white blood cell counts and C-reactive Protein were predictive for mastoidectomy ((OR = 5.0 (1.0-22.8), (OR = 24.5 (2.5-240) and OR = 10.5 (1-108.8)). Furthermore, total time from symptom onset to hospital discharge was significantly higher in children who received mastoidectomy. We suggest early referral to an otolaryngologic department in children suspected of acute mastoiditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ullevål University Hospital, N-0407, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kvestad
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kvaerner
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Mair
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008417:Mastoiditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution