title: Effect of adenotonsillectomy on the use of respiratory medication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recurrent tonsillitis and upper respiratory tract obstruction due to adenotonsillar hypertrophy are the most common indications for (adeno)tonsillectomy ((A)TE). Symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection and obstruction can, however, be attributed to lower airway pathology and thus treated with respiratory medication - this is non-antimicrobial medication used for lower respiratory diseases like bronchitis, bronchiolitis, asthma and episodic wheezing. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the current (A)TE practice in Belgium on the use of respiratory medication in subjects aged 0-15.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data on 11.114 subjects aged 0-15 years old who underwent (A)TE from January 1st 2002 until Sept 30th 2003 were retrieved from the database of the Christelijke Mutualiteit, the largest mutual health insurance society in Belgium. We compared the use of respiratory medication 12 months before and 12 months after (A)TE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 11.114 subjects, 4.654 received at least one prescription for respiratory medication in the year before and/or after (A)TE. In this subgroup, the median respiratory medication use reduced with 32% in the year after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with the year before surgery, the median use of respiratory medication in subjects aged 0-15 drastically reduces in the year after (A)TE. A possible reason for this reduction is that children with upper airway obstruction and infections are often wrongly diagnosed as having lower airway problems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Ziekenhuis Oost Limburg, Schiepse Bos 6, Genk, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piessens
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hens
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lemkens
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schrooten
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Debruyne
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemkens
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy / Q000379:methods; D000234:Adenoids / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014068:Tonsillectomy / Q000379:methods; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids