Acute upper respiratory tract infections and indications for tonsillectomy in children. I. Immunoglobulin synthesis in the palatine tonsil tissue

Abstract

Current viewpoints and practice concerning indications for tonsillectomy are presented. The annual specific risk for upper respiratory infection in children aged up to 15 is 1.1. The risk is higher in the youngest age group, in whom it rises to 1.8, decreasing with age and being lowest among children aged 12–15 years (0.5). The proportion of tonsillitis among acute upper respiratory tract infections is highest in the age group up to 3 years (36.9%); at the age of 4–5 years it is 37.1%, and is lowest among children aged 12–15 years (21.9%). The risk of tonsillitis caused by streptococci is highest among children aged up to 5 years. Statistical significance of differences in the synthesis of immunoglobulins (G, M, A and sA) and lysozymes in the palatine tonsil tissue of tonsillectomized children and healthy volunteers was tested by non-parametric tests for independent samples. Significant differences of the above mentioned syntheses were found in all entities studied. Any contribution to the documentation on the nature and cause of each tonsillitis in childhood is of great clinical value, because it is the only basis for rational consideration of indications for tonsillectomy.