A total of 73 physicians (90%) replied. The largest differences arose in treating patients with intravenous versus per oral antibiotics, and treating as inpatients versus outpatients. In Finland, 50% of PTA patients aged >16 years were treated as inpatients and 50% as outpatients, whereas the respective quotas in Sweden were 9 and 91%, Norway 19 and 81%, and Denmark 33 and 67%. Of Finnish physicians, 30% treated their patients primarily with oral antibiotics, 70% with intravenous antibiotics; in Sweden 91 vs 9%, Norway 53 vs 47%, and Denmark 18 vs 82%. In Denmark, almost all patients were operated on immediately, whereas in the other three countries, especially Sweden, operations more often were performed after a recovery period. Combining metronidazole with penicillin or cephalosporins was most common in Denmark: 58% reported usage, compared with 30% in Finland, 16% in Norway, and 4% in Sweden.

Purpose of reviewThe aim of this paper is to review and summarize the current knowledge of prevention of airway allergy.Recent findingsAllergic rhinitis and asthma are allergic airway diseases. Due to their increasing incidence and socioeconomic burden, allergic airway diseases have recently gained attention worldwide. The primary prevention of allergic airway diseases focuses on offspring’s gestational and childhood environment, such as maternal smoking and diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding as well as exposure to environmental microbes and irritants.SummaryAsthma and allergic rhinitis are a major public health problem worldwide. They have increasing prevalence and thus attempts to their prevention are mandatory. Rapid action needs to be taken to restrain smoking among children and adolescents in order to prevent burden of allergic airway diseases. Exposure to pollution and environmental issues concerning hygiene and lifestyle would also need to be actively addressed. More evidence is still needed in order to draw linings concerning maternal diet and other factors during the offspring’s whole life span.

For healthy adult PTA patients treated with incision and drainage, metronidazole neither prevents recurrence nor enhances recovery when combined with penicillin compared with penicillin alone, but instead leads to increased adverse effects.

We wanted to explore how many patients will undergo tonsillectomy during the first 5 years after peritonsillar abscess or peritonsillar cellulitis, and why. In addition we sought predictive factors as to who would benefit from tonsillectomy. Medical records of 809 patients with peritonsillar infection (ICD-10 J36) aged over six were analyzed, and data on the history of tonsil infections and differences in treatment were collected. Data on patients who underwent tonsillectomy during the next 5 years were compared with data on patients needing no tonsillectomy. An abscess or planned interval tonsillectomy was performed on 159 patients. Of the conservatively treated 7- to 16.9-year-old patients, 42.5% required surgery later, of those aged 17-29.9 years, 31.3%, and those over 30, 13.2% (p < 0.001). Previous tonsillar infections led to increased (p = 0.067) probability of delayed tonsillectomy. Re-opening of the abscess cavity at the polyclinics, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the acute phase of infection, or being an outpatient or inpatient had no influence on the probability of later surgery. Overall one-fourth of the patients with peritonsillar infection underwent tonsillectomy during the next 5 years, even without being originally planned. Young age and previous tonsillar infections caused increased probability of delayed tonsillectomy.