Complications of pharyngitis (peritonsillar abscess, retropharyngeal abscess, and cervical cellulitis) are rare, but appear to be on the increase over recent years and many of these patients have been treated by anti-inflammatory drugs prior to admission. The purpose of this study was to review the current epidemiological data concerning these complications and investigate a possible correlation with anti-inflammatory drug use.

A single-centre retrospective review of epidemiological, clinical and microbiological data was performed on the medical charts of patients hospitalised for peritonsillar abscess, retropharyngeal abscess or cervical cellulitis between 2005 and 2010.

Over a six-year period, 163 patients were hospitalised for complications of pharyngitis, with a sex-ratio of 1.82 (104/57). The number of cases of peritonsillar abscess (PTA) increased from 13 to 28 cases per year from 2005 to 2010 and the number of cases of retropharyngeal abscess increased from three to six cases per year over the same period. The number of cases of cellulitis remained stable with an average of 1.82 cases per year. Each year, significantly more patients with an abscess were admitted to our unit with a history of anti-inflammatory drug use (13.3 ± 4.6) than without anti-inflammatory drug use (7.8±4.3) (P<0.01). Micro-organisms were identified in 80% of cases, with mixed strains in 73% of cases, Streptococcus in 72% of samples and Streptococcus pyogenes in 19% of cases of PTA. A favourable outcome was observed in all patients in response to medical and surgical treatment.

In line with the literature, we observed an increasing incidence of complications of pharyngitis. The present series comprised significantly more patients admitted for PTA with a history of anti-inflammatory drug use. A multicentre prospective controlled study in Nantes on a large cohort is currently underway and will probably confirm these preliminary results.