Tonsil and Adenoid Removal May Up Asthma Risk

Removal of tonsils (tonsillectomy) and adenoids (adenoidectomy) in childhood may increase the risk of respiratory, allergic and infectious disease, reports a new study.

The researchers suggest renewed evaluation of alternatives to these common pediatric surgeries that include removal of tonsils to treat chronic tonsillitis or adenoids to treat recurrent middle ear infections.

Tonsillitis - Types, Causes, Symptoms, Complications, Diagnosis & Treatment
In Tonsillitis the tonsils are inflamed and swollen and it usually occurs due to bacterial or viral infection.

‘Removal of tonsils (tonsillectomy) and adenoids (adenoidectomy) in childhood may increase the risk of respiratory disorders such as asthma and influenza, as well as allergic and infectious diseases.’

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Tonsillectomy was associated with an almost tripled relative risk -- the risk for those who had the operation compared with those who did not -- for diseases of the upper respiratory tract including asthma, influenza, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or COPD.

COPD is the umbrella term for diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Adenoidectomy was found to be linked with a more than doubled relative risk of COPD and a nearly doubled relative risk of upper respiratory tract diseases and conjunctivitis, according to the results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

Adenoids | Adenoiditis - Causes, Symptoms, Complications, Diagnosis, Treatment
Adenoiditis / Adenoids are lymph tissue which lies in the upper respiratory tract between the nose and the back of the throat. They are part of the glandular tissue encircling the back of the throat.

"We calculated disease risks depending on whether adenoids, tonsils or both were removed in the first 9 years of life because this is when these tissues are most active in the developing immune system," said one of the study authors, Sean Byars from University of Melbourne in Australia.

The adenoids and tonsils act as a first line of defense, helping to recognize airborne pathogens like bacteria and viruses and begin the immune response to clear them from the body.

Asthma - Factors, Common Allergens, Diagnosis, Treatment, Support Groups, FAQs
It's a lung condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchi and constriction of the airways that result in coughing, wheezing or breathlessness. Allergy and other airway irritants can trigger it

For the study, the team analyzed a dataset from Denmark of 1,189,061 children born between 1979 and 1999, covering at least the first 10 years and up to 30 years of their life.

Of the almost 1.2 million children, 17,460 had adenoidectomies, 11,830 tonsillectomy and 31,377 had adenotonsillectomies, where both tonsils and adenoids removed. The children were otherwise healthy.

Childhood Asthma - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Childhood asthma is a condition that affects airways in children and interferes with their daily activities including play, sports, school and sleep.

The researchers noted that there will always be a need to remove tonsils and adenoids when those conditions are severe.

"But our observed results that show increased risks for long-term diseases after surgery support delaying tonsil and adenoid removal if possible, which could aid normal immune system development in childhood and reduce these possible later-life disease risks," said Byars.

Source-IANS