Acute epiglottitis in adults: Retrospective study in a tertiary hospital
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34631/sporl.2024Keywords:
Epiglottitis, Adult, Epiglottic abscess, TracheostomyAbstract
Epiglottitis is an acute inflammatory process of the supraglottic region, potentially fatal due to the risk of airway obstruction.
We performed a retrospective study of adults admitted with epiglottitis in a tertiary hospital, between 2017 and 2022, and the aim of the study is to characterize the population and identify risk factors associated with complications.
Outcomes were defined as: airway intervention (AI); epiglottic and/or deep neck abscess; need for surgical drainage.
MEWS Score was used to evaluate the clinical baseline of the patients on admission. Sample size was 51 adults with 17 AI, 25 abscesses and 7 surgical drainages identified.
Dyspnea was the only symptom with a positive correlation with all outcomes (p<0.05). The duration of symptoms, MEWS score and comorbidities are possible predictors of airway intervention (p<0.001), which should raise a higher degree of suspicion for complications.
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