Objectives/hypothesis: Acute supraglottitis is a potentially life-threatening condition due to rapid onset upper airway obstruction. The study aimed to characterize adult acute supraglottitis patients and to recognize factors associated with an aggressive disease course.
Study design: Retrospective chart review.
Methods: All adult acute supraglottitis patients admitted to a single academic medical center between 2000 and 2014 were included and their medical charts reviewed. The main outcome measures were airway intervention and mortality.
Results: Three hundred fifty-eight patients were enrolled. Mean age was 53 years (range, 16-92 years), with 62.8% males. Sore throat (79%) and dysphagia (70.9%) were the most common symptoms. Stridor (3.6%), tachypnea (5.7%), and dyspnea (6.4%) were uncommon but significantly associated with airway intervention. The epiglottis was most commonly involved (67%). Involvement of the epiglottis and aryepiglottic folds showed a trend of correlation to airway intervention. Blood glucose levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and relative neutrophilia were significantly higher in patients admitted to the intensive care unit or requiring airway intervention. Thirty-four patients (9.5%) required intensive care unit admission. Sixteen patients (4.4%) required airway intervention. Recurrent episodes of supraglottitis, seen in 19 patients, were more common in males (P = .048), and tended to have a more severe clinical course, requiring more airway interventions (P = .005) and intensive care unit admissions (P = .016).
Conclusions: The typical high risk patient-a male, with dyspnea and stridor, presenting with edema of the epiglottis and aryepiglottic folds, elevated CRP, hyperglycemia, and a history of recurrent episodes-should warrant more aggressive treatment and closer observation.
Level of evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 127:2106-2112, 2017.
Keywords: Acute supraglottitis; adult; airway obstruction; epiglottitis; intubation.
© 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.