The Risk Factors Associated with Tonsillitis in Patients Aged 4-18 Years in Tertiary Care Hospitals of Peshawar During 2023-2024
Keywords:
Tonsillitus, Risk factors, pharyngitis, case-controlAbstract
Background: Tonsillitis is an acute inflammation of the tonsils, frequently observed in children and adolescents. It presents with symptoms such as sore throat, fever, cervical lymphadenopathy, and tonsillar exudates, caused by viral pathogens (e.g., rhinovirus, adenovirus, influenza) and bacteria, notably group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus pyogenes.
Objective: To identify and evaluate the risk factors associated with tonsillitis in patients aged 4 to 18 years admitted to tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar during 2023–2024.
Materials and Methods: A case-control study was conducted at the tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar: Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) in patients aged 4 to 18 years during 2023–2024, including 52 cases (patients diagnosed with tonsillitis) and 99 controls (patients without tonsillitis), using a 1:2 ratio. Participants were selected through convenience sampling, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire. IRB/ERC approval was not required as participation was fully voluntary, with implied consent through completion of anonymous questionnaires.
Results: The study found that frequent consumption of spicy and sour foods, exposure to polluted environments, and a history of recurrent throat infections were significantly associated with an increased risk of developing tonsillitis. These results align with findings from previous studies conducted in regions with similar environmental and dietary patterns.
Conclusion: This concludes that environmental factors, dietary habits, and a history of throat infections are major contributors to tonsillitis among children and adolescents. Focusing on pollution control, improved hygiene, and dietary awareness are recommended to reduce the burden of tonsillitis in the region.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jalwa Khan, Dr. Waleed, Dr. Ahsan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- The Author retains copyright in the Work, where the term “Work” shall include all digital objects that may result in subsequent electronic publication or distribution.
- Upon acceptance of the Work, the author shall grant to the Publisher the right of first publication of the Work.
- The Author shall grant to the Publisher and its agents the nonexclusive perpetual right and license to publish, archive, and make accessible the Work in whole or in part in all forms of media now or hereafter known under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License or its equivalent, which, for the avoidance of doubt, allows others to copy, distribute, and transmit the Work under the following conditions:
- Attribution—other users must attribute the Work in the manner specified by the author as indicated on the journal Web site; with the understanding that the above condition can be waived with permission from the Author and that where the Work or any of its elements is in the public domain under applicable law, that status is in no way affected by the license.
- The Author is able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the nonexclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the Work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as long as there is provided in the document an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post online a prepublication manuscript (but not the Publisher’s final formatted PDF version of the Work) in institutional repositories or on their Websites prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work. Any such posting made before acceptance and publication of the Work shall be updated upon publication to include a reference to the Publisher-assigned DOI (Digital Object Identifier) and a link to the online abstract for the final published Work in the Journal.
- Upon Publisher’s request, the Author agrees to furnish promptly to Publisher, at the Author’s own expense, written evidence of the permissions, licenses, and consents for use of third-party material included within the Work, except as determined by Publisher to be covered by the principles of Fair Use.
- The Author represents and warrants that:
- the Work is the Author’s original work;
- the Author has not transferred, and will not transfer, exclusive rights in the Work to any third party;
- the Work is not pending review or under consideration by another publisher;
- the Work has not previously been published;
- the Work contains no misrepresentation or infringement of the Work or property of other authors or third parties; and
- the Work contains no libel, invasion of privacy, or other unlawful matter.
- The Author agrees to indemnify and hold Publisher harmless from the Author’s breach of the representations and warranties contained in Paragraph 6 above, as well as any claim or proceeding relating to Publisher’s use and publication of any content contained in the Work, including third-party content.
Enforcement of copyright
The IJMS takes the protection of copyright very seriously.
If the IJMS discovers that you have used its copyright materials in contravention of the license above, the IJMS may bring legal proceedings against you seeking reparation and an injunction to stop you using those materials. You could also be ordered to pay legal costs.
If you become aware of any use of the IJMS' copyright materials that contravenes or may contravene the license above, please report this by email to contact@ijms.org
Infringing material
If you become aware of any material on the website that you believe infringes your or any other person's copyright, please report this by email to contact@ijms.org
