Evaluation of the Effect of Tonsillectomy on Antistreptolysin O (ASO) Titer

Background: Acute recurrent tonsillitis is a common problem worldwide and tonsillectomy is the preferable treatment for patients not responding to medical treatment. Many patients with acute recurrent tonsillitis and increased antistreptolysin O (ASO) titers are caused by group A beta hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) tonsillitis, which can lead to serious side effects such rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. ‎

Aim: To assess the consequence of tonsillectomy on ASO titer.

Patients and Method: This prospective study was conducted to analyze the consequence of tonsillectomy on 43 patients with raised antistreptolysin O (ASO) titer out of 220 patients with acute recurrent tonsillitis, for the period from October 2015 to October 2016 at Otolaryngology department, Tertiary referring hospital at Erbil, Kurdistan/Iraq. Their Demographic characteristics, medical, drug and family history and disease extent were analyzed. Postoperative follow up were processed.

Results: The study included 43 patients between 3 to 16 years suffering from acute recurrent tonsillitis, elevated ASO titer (≥200 IU/ml) and positive throat swab for GABHS were included in the study. Six months postoperatively had been shown that there is a significant reduction in ASO titer in comparison to preoperative measures (p < 0.001) and this is also applicable to the number of sore throat episodes.

Conclusion: The main conclusion from this study is significant effect of tonsillectomy on decreasing ASO titer which reveals the reduction in postoperative GABHS throat infection, this supported by reduction of postoperative sore throat episodes.