Sex predilection in patients with acute frontal sinusitis

We performed a retrospective analysis of 50 patients with acute frontal sinusitis who came to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine affiliated hospitals between 1981 and 1984. Cases were analyzed for age and sex in an attempt to determine the sex predilection for this disease in various age groups. Of the 50 patients studied, 38 (76%) were male and 12 (24%) were female. When subdivided into adult (older than 21 years of age) and adolescent (11 to 21 years of age) subgroups, a similar male predominance was noted. Among adults (28 patients), 21 (75%) were male and 7 (25%) were female. Among adolescents (22 patients), 17 (77%) were male and 5 (23%) were female. Of the 50 patients studied, 3 developed intracranial complications. All of these latter patients (all males) were in the adolescent group. Our findings indicate that male adolescents may be a high risk subgroup for developing intracranial complications secondary to their sinus infections.