Abstract

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the association of chronic tonsillitis with physiological parameters, such as the weight and height, before and after the surgical intervention in children.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving 85 children diagnosed with chronic tonsillitis and hospitalized in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Regional Hospital Center of Gjilan, Kosovo, from January 2011 to February 2015. All children underwent surgical intervention to correct their condition. Height and weight of participating children was measured before treatment and 6 and 12 months after intervention and their values were compared against each-other and standard reference levels.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 7.15 years (7.11 years for boys and 7.19 years for girls), with no statistically significant difference between boys and girls. Before treatment, the overwhelming majority of children with chronic tonsillitis were under the weight and height standards for their age (95.3% and 98.8%, respectively). For each age-group, there was a positive association between weight and height with time after intervention, even though the statistical significance was achieved only regarding height. One year after the surgical correction of chronic tonsillitis, the proportion of normal weight and normal height children increased from 4.7% to 8.2% (for weight) and from 1.2% to 4.7% (for height).

Conclusions: We propose careful evaluation of young patients with chronic tonsillitis, and monitoring of weight and height for an adequate and timely treatment of it (adenotonsillectomy), as a way to prevent a range of complications including the deteriorating effects on weight and height.

Keywords: Kosovo, Chronic tonsillitis, Growth parameters, Weight, Height