The increasing incidence of hospital admission for acute tonsillitis: a 5 year review of the Wellington experience.

AIM

To document the number of admissions with acute tonsillitis over a 5 year period, 1990-4.

METHOD

Information was retrieved by retrospective case note review.

RESULTS

A total of 198 patients were admitted. The admission rate increased each year from 17 in 1990 to 79 in 1994, and this was statistically significant. Length of stay, average patient age and proportion with glandular fever did not change. The highest admission rate was in the 16 to 20 years age group. Demography remained constant.

CONCLUSION

No explanation for the increase was found. Changes in the microbiology of acute tonsillitis, increasing virulence of the causative organisms and primary care factors are possible explanations.