Differences between patients with or without the need for intensive care due to severe odontogenic infections.
OBJECTIVE
Despite greatly improved dental health in industrialized countries, severe odontogenic infections still occasionally lead to hospitalization. The aim of the present study was to determine whether what symptoms, signs, or laboratory parameters on hospital admission were associated with the need for treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU).


METHODS
Over an 18-month period, 100 consecutive patients (59 male, 41 female) were included in the study. Twenty percent of the patients required ICU treatment because of cardiorespiratory problems or severe complications of their infection. Both ICU and non-ICU patients were examined clinically and blood samples were taken and studied in respect to several parameters associated with infection, including C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The findings were analyzed statistically for differences between the groups.


RESULTS
No particular anamnestic background variable was associated with the need for intensive care. However, a particularly high CRP level on admission was found to be associated with a more severe course of the infection.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that determination of CRP levels may be useful in clinical decision-making in patients with severe odontogenic infections.
Ylijoki
S
S
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital and Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland. seija@sylijoki.com
Suuronen
R
R
Jousimies-Somer
H
H
Meurman
J H
JH
Lindqvist
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D005491:Focal Infection, Dental / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000503:physiopathology
D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein