Clinical characteristics of acute uvulitis

Previous literature has identified uvulitis as a condition with serious implications. This report details a series of 15 patients with uvulitis whose clinical features were remarkable for a relatively benign course. This is the largest series of patients with uvulitis in the literature. The predominant symptoms were related to sore throat and pain or difficulty on swallowing. No patient had significant airway or infectious complications attributable to the uvulitis. The only patient admitted to the hospital required management of an associated peritonsillar abscess. Of the 14 patients discharged, 13 (93%) were followed-up and none required further care. Seven (50%) of the discharged patients received symptomatic treatment only, whereas the others were treated with medications including antibiotics, corticosteroids, diphenhydramine, and B-agonists. Further research into the etiology and management of uvulitis is warranted.