Influence of diabetes mellitus on deep neck infection.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of hyperglycaemia on deep neck infection (DNI) and the differences between the diabetic and non-diabetic form of DNI.


METHODS
Retrospective review of 131 patients with DNI treated between 1993 and 2002 at Shin Kong Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.


RESULTS
Deep neck infection was significantly more prevalent in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) over 60 years of age than in non-DM subjects of a similar age (p = 0.004). In the DM group, Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common aerobic pathogen and tended to involve more than two anatomical spaces (p < 0.0001). Seventeen out of 18 patients (94.4 per cent) displayed an elevated (> or = 7 per cent) glycosylated haemoglobin level. The DM group had a significantly higher complication rate, longer hospital stay and tracheotomy rate than the non-DM group.


CONCLUSIONS
Diabetic DNI differs from non-diabetic DNI in several aspects and is associated with a higher morbidity. A greater than normal haemoglobin A1c level was commonly observed.
Lin
H-T
HT
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. ht_lin6245@yahoo.com.tw
Tsai
C-S S
CS
Chen
Y-L
YL
Liang
J-G
JG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007710:Klebsiella Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin