Adenotonsillectomy tied to increase in respiratory tract infections in children

by Elana Gotkine

edited by Gaby Clark, reviewed by Andrew Zinin

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Adenotonsillectomy (ATE) is associated with increased odds of hospital visits due to upper and lower respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children, according to a study published online July 31 in the Journal of Rhinology.

Jun Young Kim, M.D., from the Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues examined the association between ATE and the incidence of upper and lower RTIs in pediatric patients. Children who underwent ATE were matched to nonsurgical controls by age and sex at a 1:5 ratio (6,848 and 34,240 patients, respectively).

The researchers found that the ATE group had higher odds of hospital visits due to upper and lower RTIs compared with the matched nonsurgical control group, while there was no significant difference for pneumonia. In age-stratified analyses during follow-up, lower RTIs increased first in younger children and later in older age groups. The rate of lower RTIs increased in boys during postoperative years 1 and 2, while influenza and pneumonia increased in girls during postoperative years 2 and 3. Among children without preoperative infection histories, postoperative increases in RTIs were more pronounced.

"These findings suggest that ATE may have limited effectiveness in preventing long-term respiratory infections," the authors write. "Therefore, clinicians should carefully weigh the potential benefits and risks when considering ATE in pediatric patients."

More information

Jun Young Kim et al, The Impact of Adenotonsillectomy on Respiratory Tract Infections in Pediatric Patients: A Comparative Study Using a Korean Nationwide Population-Based Cohort, Journal of Rhinology (2026). DOI: 10.18787/jr.2026.00011

Key medical concepts

Tonsillectomy with AdenoidectomyLower Respiratory Tract InfectionPneumonia

Clinical categories

PediatricsChildren's healthCommon illnesses & PreventionPulmonary medicine Who's behind this story?

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Citation: Adenotonsillectomy tied to increase in respiratory tract infections in children (2026, August 31) retrieved 31 August 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-08-adenotonsillectomy-respiratory-tract-infections-children.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.