Pediatric preseptal and orbital cellulitis: A 10-year experience

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases
• Otorhinolaryngology

Background:

• Preseptal and orbital cellulitis are common infections in children.
• Accurate diagnosis and management are crucial to prevent complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the clinical features, epidemiology, and treatment of pediatric preseptal and orbital cellulitis.
• To identify predisposing factors and associated symptoms for each condition.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of hospitalized pediatric patients with preseptal or orbital cellulitis from 2007 to 2017.
• Analysis of clinical data, predisposing factors, symptoms, laboratory findings, and treatment outcomes.
• Statistical analysis to identify significant associations between factors and diagnoses.

Main Results:

• 122 cases were analyzed; 80.3% preseptal cellulitis, 19.7% orbital cellulitis.
• Sinusitis was a key factor for orbital cellulitis (p < 0.001), while dental abscesses (p = 0.007) and trauma (p = 0.040) were linked to preseptal cellulitis.
• Orbital cellulitis presented with fever, photophobia, ocular pain, proptosis, and vision impairment; leukocytosis was also associated (p = 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Orbital involvement signs are key to identifying orbital cellulitis.
• Dental abscesses are a significant predisposing factor for preseptal cellulitis.
• Systemic corticosteroids were used in 19.7% of cases, despite controversial evidence; repeated imaging did not impact outcomes.