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Influence of diabetes mellitus on deep neck infection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2006

H-T Lin
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
C-S S Tsai
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Tungs' Taichung MetroHarbor Hospital, Wuchi, Taichung, Taiwan
Y-L Chen
Affiliation:
Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Endocrinology), Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
J-G Liang
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the influence of hyperglycaemia on deep neck infection (DNI) and the differences between the diabetic and non-diabetic form of DNI.

Study design and setting: Retrospective review of 131 patients with DNI treated between 1993 and 2002 at Shin Kong Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Results: Deep neck infection was significantly more prevalent in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) over 60 years of age than in non-DM subjects of a similar age (p = 0.004). In the DM group, Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common aerobic pathogen and tended to involve more than two anatomical spaces (p < 0.0001). Seventeen out of 18 patients (94.4 per cent) displayed an elevated (≥7 per cent) glycosylated haemoglobin level. The DM group had a significantly higher complication rate, longer hospital stay and tracheotomy rate than the non-DM group.

Conclusions: Diabetic DNI differs from non-diabetic DNI in several aspects and is associated with a higher morbidity. A greater than normal haemoglobin A1c level was commonly observed.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
2006 JLO (1984) Limited

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