Prior antibiotic therapy for acute sinusitis in children and the development of subperiosteal orbital abscess.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the pattern of pre-hospitalization antibiotic use in children developing a subperiosteal orbital abscess (SPA) as a complication of acute sinusitis.


METHODS
Ten-year retrospective chart review in a tertiary pediatric center of children under the age of 18 years requiring operative drainage of a SPA as a complication of acute sinusitis.


RESULTS
There were 39 children (M 25; F 14). Ten children (26%) received antibiotic therapy prior to admission, for a median duration of 1.6 days. On presentation, 72% had rhinorrhea and/or fever, for average durations of 3.9 and 2.5 days, respectively. Streptococcal species sensitive to penicillin were grown from 51% of SPA cultures.


CONCLUSIONS
Although few children in this series received antibiotics prior to their presentation with a SPA, prodromal sinusitis symptoms were of too short a duration to warrant institution of antibiotic therapy based on the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for acute sinusitis.


CONCLUSIONS
SPA may not be a preventable complication of acute sinusitis in children.
Sinclair
Catherine F
CF
Department of Otolaryngology, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
Berkowitz
Robert G
RG
D000038:Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009916:Orbital Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents