Is adenoidectomy effective treatment for recurrent URIs?

January 01, 0001

Is adenoidectomy effective treatment for recurrent URIs?

This group of Dutch researchers performed an open randomized controlled trial to deterimine whether adenoidectomy is effective treatment in children having recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. They enrolled 111 children ages one to six years old with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections who were selected for adenoidectomy. Enrollees were randomized to either immediate adenoidectomy with or without myringotomy (intervention) or to watchful waiting (control).

The researchers found: "During the median follow-up of 24 months, there were 7.91 episodes of upper respiratory tract infections per person year in the adenoidectomy group and 7.84 in the watchful waiting group (difference in incidence rate 0.07). No relevant differences were found for days of upper respiratory tract infections and middle ear complaints with fever in episodes and days, nor for health related quality of life. The prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections decreased over time in both groups. Children in the adenoidectomy group had significantly more days with fever than the children in the watchful waiting group. Two children had complications related to surgery."

The researchers concluded: "In children selected for adenoidectomy for recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, a strategy of immediate surgery confers no clinical benefits over a strategy of initial watchful waiting."

Adenoidectomy does not provide a benefit for recurrent upper respiratory infections in children


For the full abstract, click here.

BMJ 343:d5154, 6 September 2011 © 2011 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
Effectiveness of adenoidectomy in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections: open randomised controlled trial. M T A van den Aardweg, C W B Boonacker, M M Rovers, A W Hoes, A G M Schilder. Correspondence to A G M Schilder: [email protected]

Category: R. Respiratory. Keywords: adenoidectomy, adenoids, upper respiratory infection, URI, children, open randomized controlled trial, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Paul Schaefer, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 20 September 2011

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.

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