Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Variation in Tonsil Size in 4- to 17-Year-old Schoolchildren

2006; Decker Medicine; Volume: 35; Issue: 04 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2310/7070.2005.0118

1708-833X

Ahmet Akçay, Cüneyt Orhan Kara, Erol Dağdeviren, Mehmet Zencir,

Dysphagia Assessment and Management

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the variation in tonsil size and prevalence of asymmetric tonsils in 4- to 17-year-old schoolchildren and the relationships between tonsillar hypertrophy and frequent tonsillitis, frequent fever, and sleep-related symptoms observed by parents.Cross-sectional study.Six daycare centres, four primary schools, and four high schools.Questionnaire and physical examination.The size of the tonsils was evaluated and scored on a 4-point scale. The interrelationships between tonsillar hypertrophy and other studied symptoms were examined.In the study, the parents of 1784 children, consisting of 803 (45%) boys and 981 (55%) girls, completed the questionnaires. The prevalence rates of snoring, habitual snoring, observed apnea, and habitual observed apnea were 24.6%, 4.1%, 3.8%, and 0.9%, respectively. The results of tonsil scoring were grade 1, 62.7%; grade 2, 28.4%; grade 3, 3.3%; and grade 4, 0.1%. The prevalence rate of grade 1 tonsils was increasing, whereas the prevalence rates of grade 2 and 3 tonsils were decreasing with increasing age. Tonsil size peaked in 4- to 8-year-old children. The prevalence rates of tonsillar hypertrophy and asymmetric tonsils were 3.4% and 1.7%, respectively. Tonsillar hypertrophy was found to be significantly associated with male gender, a history of frequent tonsillitis, a history of frequent fever, often or always snoring, and often or always observed apnea.A tonsil size curve was developed in 4- to 17-year-old schoolchildren. Children aged 4- to 8 years with oropharyngeal symptoms and particularly male gender should undergo consultation with otorhinolaryngology and pediatric pulmonology physicians for the evalution of adenotonsillar tissue.