Efficacy of Conservative Therapy in Juvenile Recurrent Parotitis: A Retrospective Study

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic effect of conservative treatment in children with juvenile recurrent parotitis (JRP).

Methods: Clinical data from 55 children who were diagnosed with JRP from June 2019 to January 2022 were collected. On admission, patients underwent comprehensive examinations, and a questionnaire was completed by the patients and their parents. Patients received only conservative treatment, including sialagogues, warm compresses, massage and antibiotic treatment.

Results: Episodes after treatment (1.11 ± 1.42) were significantly lower in 55 patients than before treatment (3.35 ± 2.42) (p < 0.001). Clinical symptoms improved for 81.81% and recurred for 60%. Patients who did not respond to treatment were in 3- to 5-year-old group. The serum IgG (p = 0.018), IgA (p = 0.014) and IgM (p = 0.032) levels in the nonresponsive group were significantly higher than those in the improvement group and were either higher than the normal range or at the upper limit. The improvement rate was positively related to the CD8%, and the serum IgA concentration was negatively related to the number of previsit episodes.

Conclusion: Conservative treatment is effective for most children with JRP. Patient responses to treatment may be associated with the maturation of their immune systems. Underlying immune dysregulation should be evaluated, and further treatment is needed in severe cases.