CONCISE REVIEWS OF PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES Complications of Acute Bacterial Sinusitis in Children

Upper respiratory infections are the most common illnesses evaluated by the primary care pediatrician. Observational studies have shown that 5% to 10% of upper respiratory infections are complicated by acute bacterial sinusitis (ABS). It has been estimated that ABS and its complications are responsible for 23 million visits to the healthcare provider annually and result in over 20 million prescriptions for antibiotics. It has been estimated that 2% to 30% of patients hospitalized for ABS have complications. Since most of ABS is treated in the ambulatory setting, the actual prevalence must be much lower. Even with aggressive management, intracranial complications have a 10% to 20% mortality rate. The peak prevalence of complications of ABS occurs in the winter months. The mean age is 3 to 6 years which likely reflects the greater prevalence of orbital involvement. Intracranial complications occur more frequently in adolescents. In nearly every survey of the complications of ABS males account for 60% to 70% of cases.