[Short communication: clinical predictors of group A beta hemolytic streptococci isolation in upper respiratory tract...

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical prediction criteria for group A beta hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) pharyngitis in patients with upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). A total of 276 patients admitted to the Ministry of Internal Affairs outpatient clinics with URTI complaints, were included to the study. The clinical findings of the patients were recorded and throat cultures were obtained. The clinical signs and symptoms were as follows; sore throat (56.2%), hypertrophic tonsillitis (53.9%), pharyngeal erythema (50.7%), fever (48.9%), cervical lymphadenopathy (42.8%) and tonsillar exudates (18.5%). The total GABHS isolation rate from throat cultures of the patients were found as 15.9%, and these rates were 19.7% in children, and 7% in adults. Multivariate analysis of the results revealed that the patients with hypertrophic tonsils had GABHS isolation rate seven times more than the patients without hypertrophic tonsils (Odds ratio: 7, confidence interval: 1.4-98, p = 0.017). In conclusion, correct assessment of physical examination findings in the clinical diagnosis of GABHS pharyngitis, will result in less laboratory testing and antibiotic use for sore throat patients.