title: Comparison of multi-space infections of the head and neck in the elderly and non-elderly: part I the descriptive data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to analyze the difference between the aged patients and non-elderly with multi-space infections of the head and neck.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted on 242 patients receiving treatment for severe multi-space infections of the head and neck region. Demographics, clinical parameters (the coexisting conditions, the etiology, the length between first symptomatic onset and admission, the number of spaces affected, and the distribution of involved spaces), laboratory values (bacteriology, admission blood glucose level, admission white blood cell count, and percent of neutrophil on admission) and treatment parameters (the number of incisions, complications and length of hospital stay) were collected and analyzed for clinical significance. Statistical analyses of the results between groups were performed using the Student t test, Fisher's exact test, and chi-square.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the non-elderly, the elderly had more system diseases (P = 0.0002), had longer hospital stays (P = 0.02), and developed more frequent complications (P = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has determined the differences in clinical features of patients with multi-space infections of the head and neck by comparing the aged patients to non-elder patients.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200011, China.
authors: Lingyan
authors: L
authors: Zheng
authors: Chi
authors: C
authors: Yang
authors: Weijie
authors: W
authors: Zhang
authors: Xieyi
authors: X
authors: Cai
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Jiang
authors: Baoli
authors: B
authors: Wang
authors: Yiping
authors: Y
authors: Pu
authors: Jiamin
authors: J
authors: Jin
authors: Eric
authors: E
authors: Kim
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Zhiyuan
authors: Z
authors: Zhang
authors: Longnv
authors: L
authors: Zhou
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Zhou
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Guan
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000145:classification* / Q000382:microbiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000382:microbiology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology; D010343:Patient Admission; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Multi-space infections of the head and neck; The elderly; The non-elderly