Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35044507›Full record

SynthesisEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2022

Quality of life after tonsillectomy in adult patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis: a systematic review.

Hannah Inez Houborg, Tejs Ehlers Klug

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.4field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Health-related quality of life and functional recovery outcomes following tonsillectomy among patients in Hail, Saudi Arabia.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Long-term effectiveness of tonsillotomy versus tonsillectomy: A 12-year follow-up study.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Does a tonsillectomy indicated according to the German S2k guideline affect short-term quality of life in adults?European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2023
    Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Hannah Inez HouborgDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark. 201610187@post.au.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2658-246X
Tejs Ehlers KlugDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5053-8034
Aarhus University Hospital · DK

Funding

Lundbeckfonden R185-2014-2482
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe aims of this systematic review were to (1) explore the evidence for improved quality of life (QOL) in adult patients undergoing tonsillectomy because of recurrent acute tonsillitis (RT) and (2) evaluate which set of guidelines for tonsillectomy in adult RT patients is preferable, using QOL as outcome measure.

methodsA systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. RCT/cohort studies exploring the effect of elective tonsillectomy in adult RT patients using any QOL assessment tool no less than 6 months after surgery were included. Studies were divided into two guideline groups based on the number of tonsillitis episodes required for tonsillectomy (Group 1: ≥ 5; Group 2: ≤ 4).

resultsA total of 364 unique records were identified. Seven studies (n = 409 patients) were included in a qualitative analysis and four studies were included in a meta-analysis. Patients' QOL rose significantly, primarily because of improvements in the general and physical domains. In the meta-analysis, 96% (293/304) of patients benefitted from tonsillectomy. Patients included in guideline Group 1 studies had significantly higher QOL scores (Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) 39.6) compared to patients in Group 2 studies (GBI 24.9) (p < 0.001).

conclusionAdult patients undergoing tonsillectomy because of RT reported improved QOL 6-84 months after surgery. The benefit of tonsillectomy was higher among patients in studies with a higher minimum number of tonsillitis episodes compared to those included in studies with less strict criteria. Whether the improved QOL outweigh the morbidity associated with surgery in both guideline groups remains unclear.

Indexed as

TonsillectomyTonsillitisAcute DiseaseAdultHumansQuality of LifeRecurrenceAdultsGuidelinesQuality of lifeRecurrent acute tonsillitisTonsillectomy

Identifiers

PMID35044507
OpenAlexW4206259353

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.