Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 31, 2025
Author Spotlight: Integrating Ultrasound Imaging with Biochemical Markers for Thyroid Disease Diagnosis
Published on: February 9, 2024
Clinical Analysis of Acute Suppurative Thyroiditis in 18 Children
Xiang She1, Yu-Neng Zhou1, Jun Guo1
1Department of Pediatrics, Mianyang Central Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Mianyang, 621000, People's Republic of China.
Insights
Acute suppurative thyroiditis in children often presents with fever and neck symptoms. Combining antibiotics with ultrasound-guided aspiration offers a safe and effective treatment, reducing hospital stays for pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Infectious Diseases
- Surgical Sciences
Background:
- Acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST) is a rare but serious infection in children.
- Early diagnosis and appropriate management are crucial for favorable outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical experience with the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST).
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of clinical data from 18 children diagnosed with AST between 2009 and 2022.
- Analysis of clinical manifestations, causative pathogens, treatment modalities, and patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- Common symptoms included fever, neck pain, and neck mass.
- Cultures identified Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. as primary pathogens.
- Antibiotics combined with ultrasound-guided needle aspiration resulted in a shorter hospital stay (9.1 days) compared to antibiotics alone (14 days) or surgical drainage (13 days).
Conclusions:
- AST can present with atypical early symptoms, necessitating ultrasonography for diagnosis.
- Antibiotics and ultrasound-guided aspiration represent a safe, effective, and minimally invasive treatment for pediatric AST.
- Surgery may be required for complications, and recurrent cases warrant investigation for anatomical abnormalities.
Objective:
To summarize our clinical experience with the diagnosis and treatment of children with acute suppurative thyroiditis (AST).
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 18 children with AST treated at our hospital between January 2009 and May 2022.
Results:
There were 8 boys and 10 girls, aged 7.8 ± 3.8 years at admission. The main clinical manifestations were fever (88.9%), neck pain (100%), and neck mass (100%). Blood and pus cultures were performed in 9 and 15 patients, respectively. All blood cultures were negative, while positive pus cultures were noted in eight cases (six Streptococcus spp., one Staphylococcus spp., and one Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. mixed infection). Additionally, all patients received antibiotic treatment: three received antibiotics alone, seven received antibiotics and ultrasound (US)-guided needle aspiration, seven received antibiotics as well as surgical incision and drainage, and one received antibiotics, US-guided needle aspiration in addition to surgical incision and drainage. Consequently, the average length of hospital stay in patients who received antibiotics and US-guided needle aspiration was 9.1±2.9 days compared to 14.0±2.0 days in patients in the antibiotics alone group and 13.0 ± 2.2 days in patients in the antibiotics and surgical incision and drainage group. Follow-up was conducted in 15 of the 18 patients. Three patients relapsed, and the prognosis of the other patients was good.
Conclusion:
AST has atypical clinical symptoms at the early stage. Regular monitoring of the thyroid gland using ultrasonography is strongly advised in unsure cases. Antibiotics combined with US-guided aspiration is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive treatment for AST in children and can reduce hospital stay. However, surgery may be necessary, particularly in the presence of complications. It is strongly recommended that patients with recurrence be examined for anatomical abnormalities and undergo radical treatment.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Acute Pharyngitis
Acute pharyngitis is the inflammation of the back of the throat (pharynx), commonly resulting in a sore throat. It is a frequently encountered condition that prompts individuals to seek medical advice.
Classification
Acute pharyngitis can be categorized based on its underlying cause:
01:30Tonsillitis I: Introduction
Etiology
Three primary contributing factors have been identified.
01:26Tonsillitis II: Management
01:28Acute Pyelonephritis II: Diagnostic Studies and Management
01:23The Thyroid Gland
The follicles have a central cavity lined by simple cuboidal to squamous epithelial cells called follicular cells. These cells produce the glycoprotein...
01:27Myocarditis II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests