Corticosteroids useful for treating both retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscess in kids: Study

The results of the study are as follows:

• Of the 2259 patients with retropharyngeal abscesses (RPAs) and parapharyngeal abscesses (PPAs), 1677 (74.2%) were in the non-corticosteroid group and 582 (25.8%) were in the corticosteroid group.
• There were no significant differences in age, sex, or insurance status.
• There was a lower rate of drainage in the corticosteroid cohort (odds ratio: 0.28; confidence interval: 0.22–0.36).
• Patients in this group were more likely to have repeat computed tomography imaging performed, had lower hospital costs, and were less likely to have opioid medications administered.
• The corticosteroid cohort had a higher 7-day emergency department revisit rate, but there was no difference in length of stay (rate ratio 0.97; confidence interval: 0.92–1.02).

Thus, the researchers concluded that corticosteroids were associated with lower odds of surgical drainage among children with retropharyngeal abscesses (RPAs) and parapharyngeal abscesses (PPAs).

Reference:

Corticosteroids in the Treatment of Pediatric Retropharyngeal and Parapharyngeal Abscesses by Pratichi K. Goenka et al. published in the American Academy of Pediatrics.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-037010