National UK survey of antibiotics prescribed for acute tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess.
OBJECTIVE
To survey antibiotics prescribed for patients admitted with acute tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess to UK ENT departments.


METHODS
An anonymous postal questionnaire was sent to UK ENT consultants.


RESULTS
Intravenous benzylpenicillin alone was preferred significantly more often for acute tonsillitis (n = 175) than for peritonsillar abscess (83) (p < 0.001). A combination of benzylpenicillin and metronidazole was preferred significantly more often for peritonsillar abscess (n = 131) than for tonsillitis (62) (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In this survey, penicillin was the commonest antibiotic choice for tonsillitis; this is in accordance with published guidelines. For cases of peritonsillar abscess, benzylpenicillin with metronidazole was the most common antibiotic combination chosen. However, the high resolution rate of peritonsillar abscess following drainage and treatment with penicillin alone suggests that multiple antibiotics are unnecessary and inappropriate in this setting.
Visvanathan
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Department of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3EX. UK. vikranth@hotmail.co.uk
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D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002444:Cefuroxime / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006113:United Kingdom
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D008795:Metronidazole; D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination; D002444:Cefuroxime