RISK FACTORS AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE ADENOTONSILLAR SYSTEM IN CHILDREN
Keywords:
Keywords. Adenotonsillar system, adenoid hypertrophy, tonsillitis, risk factors, children, immunity, ENT pathologyAbstract
Abstract. The adenotonsillar system plays a crucial role in the immune defense of the upper respiratory tract, especially in early childhood. However, pathological hypertrophy and chronic inflammation of adenoids and palatine tonsils remain among the most prevalent ENT disorders worldwide. According to global epidemiological data, up to 30–50% of children aged 3–10 years suffer from varying degrees of adenotonsillar pathology, often associated with recurrent infections and environmental exposures. This study aims to analyze risk factors and morphological-functional changes in the adenotonsillar system and assess their clinical implications. A comparative clinical study involving 120 children (90 patients and 30 controls) was conducted using комплекс clinical, laboratory, and instrumental methods. The findings demonstrate a significant association between environmental, immunological, and infectious factors with adenotonsillar hypertrophy and dysfunction. The results highlight the importance of early diagnosis and targeted preventive strategies.
References
1. Brook I. Microbiology of chronic tonsillitis. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2005;114(3):179–183.
2. Bitar MA, Dowli A. The role of cytokines in adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol. 2014;7(2):123–129.
3. Kheirandish-Gozal L, Gozal D. Pediatric OSA and adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Lancet Respir Med. 2016;4(5):392–403.
4. Zhang X et al. Environmental risk factors in pediatric ENT diseases. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2018;112:1–6.
5. Windfuhr JP, Toepfner N. Tonsillitis epidemiology. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2016;273(4):989–996.
6. Sadeghi-Shabestari M et al. Immunological markers in adenoid hypertrophy. Allergy Asthma Proc. 2011;32(2):123–128.
7. Feleszko W et al. Immune response in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2010;21(1):117–123.
8. Marcus CL et al. Sleep-disordered breathing in children. Pediatrics. 2012;130(3):e714–e755.
9. Iino Y et al. Role of bacterial biofilms in chronic tonsillitis. Acta Otolaryngol. 2015;135(6):608–613.
10. Goldbart AD et al. Inflammatory pathways in pediatric adenotonsillar disease. Chest. 2008;134(2):324–331.
