title: Maxillofacial space infection experience in West China: a retrospective study of 212 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objectives were to analyze the clinical features of maxillofacial space infection (MSI) patients admitted to the West China Hospital of Stomatology over a five-year period, and to identify potential risk factors associated with life-threatening complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective medical chart review was performed and the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with MSI were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 212 patients were enrolled in this study, including 125 males (59.0%) and 87 females (41.0%), with an age range of 1-88 years (median 47.5 years). The most common cause of MSI was odontogenic infection (56.1%). The submandibular space was the space most commonly involved in both single space and multiple space infections (37.5% and 29.1%, respectively). One hundred and two patients (48.1%) self-medicated before admission, and the time from onset of symptoms until presentation was longer in those who self-medicated compared with those who did not (p=0.028). Fifty-seven patients (26.9%) had life-threatening complications and six died (2.8%). In multivariate analysis, age, self-medication, admission temperature, respiratory difficulty, and underlying diseases were found to be risk factors for life-threatening complications. The most common occupation of the patients was farmer (54.7%). Among the farmers, 72.4% had an odontogenic etiology; however, 91.7% of the farmers with odontogenic space infections had not undergone dental treatment before admission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experience suggests that the management of MSI should be more aggressive when the above risk factors are present, in order to avoid life-threatening complications. In addition, considering the poor medical conditions in the rural areas of West China, standard dental care and services should be provided in the future to replace self-medication.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chunxu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yaling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Guiquan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhefeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xinhua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D009057:Stomatognathic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult