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Observational Study
. 2021 Jun;41(3):197-205.
doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N1436. Epub 2021 May 6.

COVID-19 in the tonsillectomised population

Vincenzo Capriotti #  1 , Francesco Mattioli #  2 , Francesco Guida  1 , Alberto Vito Marcuzzo  1 , Alfredo Lo Manto  2 , Andrea Martone  2 , Giulia Molinari  2 , Cristoforo Fabbris  3 , Anna Menegaldo  3 , Leonardo Calvanese  3 , Gino Latini  4 , Cristina Cingolani  4 , Paolo Gradoni  4 , Francesca Boscolo Nata  5 , Clelia De Sisti  6 , Vittorio Selle  6 , Giordano Leone  7 , Pietro Indelicato  7 , Francesco Pilolli  8 , Niccolò Mevio  8 , Luca Roncoroni  8 , Simona Papi  9 , Marianna Meschiari  10 , Riccardo Tominz  11 , Luca D'Ascanio  4 , Alberto Dragonetti  8 , Lucio Torelli  12 , Loris Trenti  13 , Giacomo Spinato  3 , Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo  3 , Mario Bussi  6 , Andrea Cossarizza  14 , Livio Presutti  2 , Giancarlo Tirelli  1
Affiliations
Observational Study

COVID-19 in the tonsillectomised population

Vincenzo Capriotti et al. Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Jun.

Abstract
in English, Italian

Objective: Interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and pharyngeal associated lymphoid tissue are thought to influence the manifestations of COVID-19. We aimed to determine whether a previous history of tonsillectomy, as a surrogate indicator of a dysfunctional pharyngeal associated lymphoid tissue, could predict the presentation and course of COVID-19.

Methods: Multicentric cross-sectional observational study involving seven hospitals in Northern and Central Italy. Data on the clinical course and signs and symptoms of the infection were collected from 779 adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and analysed in relation to previous tonsillectomy, together with demographic and anamnestic data.

Results: Patients with previous tonsillectomy showed a greater risk of fever, temperature higher than 39°C, chills and malaise. No significant differences in hospital admissions were found.

Conclusions: A previous history of tonsillectomy, as a surrogate indicator of immunological dysfunction of the pharyngeal associated lymphoid tissue, could predict a more intense systemic manifestation of COVID-19. These results could provide a simple clinical marker to discriminate suspected carriers and to delineate more precise prognostic models.

COVID-19 nella popolazione tonsillectomizzata.

Obiettivo: Si ritiene che le manifestazioni dell’infezione da SARS-CoV-2 siano influenzate dalle interazioni tra il virus e il tessuto linfatico associato alla faringe. Obiettivo di questo studio è determinare se una pregressa tonsillectomia, come indicatore surrogato di disfunzione immunologica faringea, possa predire la presentazione e il decorso della COVID-19.

Metodi: Studio multicentrico trasversale osservazionale coinvolgente 7 centri italiani. Sono stati raccolti i dati su decorso, segni e sintomi dell’infezione da 779 adulti positivi al SARS-CoV-2, e analizzati in relazione a pregressa tonsillectomia, dati demografici e anamnestici.

Risultati: I pazienti con pregressa tonsillectomia hanno un maggior rischio di sviluppare febbre, raggiungere temperature oltre i 39°C, brividi e malessere generalizzato. Non si riscontrano differenze nel tasso di ospedalizzazione.

Conclusioni: Il dato anamnestico di pregressa tonsillectomia, come indicatore di disfunzione immunologica faringea, può predire una manifestazione sistemica più intensa nei pazienti affetti da COVID-19. Questi risultati possono fornire un marker clinico semplice per discriminare sospetti portatori del virus e delineare modelli prognostici più accurati.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; tonsillectomy; tonsils.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

The Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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