Pharyngotonsillitis in children: view from a sample of pediatricians and otorhinolaryngologists.
Acute pharyngotonsillitis is a common upper airway infection in children.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze opinions and practices of pediatricians and otorhinolaryngologists from Sao Paulo State, Brazil, concerning diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pharyngotonsillitis and their complications in children.


METHODS
We randomly selected 1,370 pediatricians and 1,000 otolaryngologists from Sao Paulo State, Brazil. A questionnaire was mailed to the specialists.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


RESULTS
95.8% of the pediatricians and 91.5% of the otolaryngologists do not perform routine laboratory diagnosis for acute pharyngotonsillitis in children. The antimicrobials more commonly prescribed by pediatricians for treatment of bacterial pharyngotonsillitis were: oral penicillin for 10 days (33.6%) and s single injection of benzathine penicillin G (19.7%). The antimicrobials prescribed more often by otorhinolaryngologists for treatment were: oral penicillin for 10 days (35.4%) and oral penicillin for 7 days (25.7%). Tonsillectomy was considered the most effective measure for prevention of bacterial pharyngotonsillitis by more than half of pediatricians and otolaryngologists. Repeated pharyngotonsillitis was the main reason for otolaryngologists to indicate tonsillectomy for school-aged children and adolescents (49.3% and 53.4% respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
It is necessary to standardize the practices of pediatricians and otolaryngologists regarding diagnosis and treatment of pharyngotonsillitis in children.
Balbani
Aracy Pereira Silveira
AP
Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, UNESP. a_balbani@hotmail.com
Montovani
Jair Cortez
JC
Carvalho
Lidia Raquel de
LR
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000592:standards*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D012008:Recurrence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000592:standards; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents