title: Acute exudative tonsillitis in adults: the use of the Centor scoreand some laboratory tests.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to determine the usefulness of the Centor score and some basic laboratory tests (complete blood count and C-reactive protein) for the differential diagnosis of exudative tonsillitis due to Group A &beta;-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) or due to non-GABHS agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data of clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients diagnosed with exudative tonsillitis were collected and statistically compared between those having positive GABHS throat culture result and those who were negative for any bacterial agent.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Totally 899 adult patients were included in our study; 56 (6.2%) of them were positive for GABHS, while 34 (3.8%) of the cases had a bacterial cause other than GABHS. The remaining 809 (90%) were accepted as non-GABHS cases. The percentages of patients having Centor score of 3 or greater, neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia, and CRP values of greater than 5-fold normal upper reference range were significantly higher in GABHS patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Centor score of 3 or more together with high CRP, neutrophilia, and lymphocytopenia is predictive for GABHS tonsillopharyngitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bahçeşehir University, Göztepe Medical Park Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furuncuoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Bahçeşehir University, İstanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sağlam
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kutluhan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D010612:Pharyngitis; D013290:Streptococcal Infections; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes; D014069:Tonsillitis
keywords: Centor score; Pharyngitis; streptococci; throat culture