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National UK survey of antibiotics prescribed for acute tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2009

V Visvanathan  and
P Nix
V Visvanathan*
Affiliation:
Department of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3EX. UK
P Nix
Affiliation:
Department of ENT/Head and Neck Surgery, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3EX. UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr V Visvanathan, ENT Registrar, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK E-mail: vikranth@hotmail.co.uk
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Abstract

Aim:

To survey antibiotics prescribed for patients admitted with acute tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess to UK ENT departments.

Materials and methods:

An anonymous postal questionnaire was sent to UK ENT consultants.

Results:

Intravenous benzylpenicillin alone was preferred significantly more often for acute tonsillitis (n = 175) than for peritonsillar abscess (83) (p < 0.001). A combination of benzylpenicillin and metronidazole was preferred significantly more often for peritonsillar abscess (n = 131) than for tonsillitis (62) (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

In this survey, penicillin was the commonest antibiotic choice for tonsillitis; this is in accordance with published guidelines. For cases of peritonsillar abscess, benzylpenicillin with metronidazole was the most common antibiotic combination chosen. However, the high resolution rate of peritonsillar abscess following drainage and treatment with penicillin alone suggests that multiple antibiotics are unnecessary and inappropriate in this setting.

Keywords

TonsillitisPeritonsillar AbscessAntibiotics
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 124 , Issue 4 , April 2010 , pp. 420 - 423
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2009

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