title: Variations in treatment of peritonsillar abscess in four Nordic countries.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  In four Nordic countries, peritonsillar abscess (PTA) patients are treated rather differently.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study how such patients are treated in those countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 81 chief physicians of otorhinolaryngology departments of all central hospitals in Denmark (n = 15), Norway (n = 19), Sweden (n = 27), and Finland (n = 20) received a multiple-choice questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 73 physicians (90%) replied. The largest differences arose in treating patients with intravenous versus per oral antibiotics, and treating as inpatients versus outpatients. In Finland, 50% of PTA patients aged >16 years were treated as inpatients and 50% as outpatients, whereas the respective quotas in Sweden were 9 and 91%, Norway 19 and 81%, and Denmark 33 and 67%. Of Finnish physicians, 30% treated their patients primarily with oral antibiotics, 70% with intravenous antibiotics; in Sweden 91 vs 9%, Norway 53 vs 47%, and Denmark 18 vs 82%. In Denmark, almost all patients were operated on immediately, whereas in the other three countries, especially Sweden, operations more often were performed after a recovery period. Combining metronidazole with penicillin or cephalosporins was most common in Denmark: 58% reported usage, compared with 30% in Finland, 16% in Norway, and 4% in Sweden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki University, Faculty of Medicine , Helsinki , Finland.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wikstén
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blomgren
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Liviu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guldfred
authors.forename: Mette
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bratt
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pitkäranta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods*; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D000039:Peritonsillar Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Questionnaire; practice guideline; quinsy