Abstract
PURPOSE: To assess Serum Prealbumin in the severity of illness and monitor response to treatment in odontogenic space infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study comprising patients being managed for odontogenic space infection at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The calculated sample size was 69. Clinical parameters (Swelling Size, Visual Analogue Scale for pain intensity, and Maximal Interincisal Distance) were measured on day 0, day 4, and day 8. Other clinical parameters were Number of Anatomic Spaces Involved, setting of treatment, and Length of Hospital Stay. Serum Prealbumin levels were also serially measured. The relationship between Serum Prealbumin level and the clinical parameters was established using Spearman's correlation test, independent t test, Friedman's test, and linear regression. Significance level was set at .05. RESULTS: The mean Serum Prealbumin level at presentation (day 0) was 19.19 ± 4.61 mg/dl, which was significantly lower among inpatients (p = 0.001). On days 0, 4, and 8, Serum Prealbumin negatively correlated with Number of Anatomic Spaces Involved (p < 0.001). Serum Prealbumin levels on days 0, 4, and 8 and response in Serum Prealbumin negatively correlated with Length of Hospital Stay. On each day, Serum Prealbumin negatively correlated with pain intensity and Swelling Size and positively correlated with mouth opening. The response in Serum Prealbumin also positively correlated with response in each of the three clinical parameters. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Serum Prealbumin is a reliable tool for grading severity of illness and monitoring response to treatment in odontogenic space infection.