title: Clinical scoring system of acute pharyngotonsillitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of acute pharyngo-tonsillitis by a scoring system and the impact of causative pathogens.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients with acute pharyngotonsillitis were evaluated for causative pathogens and her clinical symptoms and pharyngotonsillar finding by a clinical scoring system were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Streptocococcus pyogenes were identified at 13.6%. Thirty-one viruses were also identified by PCR. The numbers of total white blood cells and the levels of C-reactive protein showed a significant positive correlation with clinical scores (p<0.001) and were significantly higher in cases with S. pyogenes. The clinical scores rapidly improved after the antimicrobial treatments in moderate cases and severe cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A clinical scoring system represents the severity of acute pharyngotonsillitis and is useful for evaluating clinical course of the illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan. togawa@wakayama-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akihisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Togawa
authors.forename: Muneki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hotomi
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult