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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Acute infectious laryngitis:


A case series
Aaron J. Jaworek, MD; Kranthi Earasi, MD; Karen M. Lyons, MD;
Srihari Daggumati, BS; Amanda Hu, MD, FRCSC; Robert T. Sataloff, MD, DMA, FACS

Abstract
Although acute laryngitis is common, it is often man- causes remains supportive, with adequate hydration
aged by primary physicians. Therefore, video images and at least relative voice rest, while the bacterial form
documenting its signs are scarce. This series includes 7 may benefit from the addition of an antibiotic.
professional voice users who previously had undergone Most patients with URI symptoms are evaluated
baseline strobovideolaryngscopy (SVL) during routine and treated by a primary care physician. It is much
examinations or during evaluations for other complaints less common for the otolaryngologist to treat an acute
and who returned with acute laryngitis. Sequential SVL episode unless there is a complicating feature (e.g.,
showed not only the expected erythema, edema, cough, protracted course, persistent symptoms after the URI,
and dysphonia, but also new masses in 5 of the 7 sub- recurrent episodes, etc.). For this reason, high-quality
jects. All the signs returned to baseline. This series is re- images of the larynx during an acute infection often are
ported to highlight the reversible structural changes that not available. We present a series of patients with acute
can be expected in patients with acute laryngitis and the infectious laryngitis and their coinciding laryngoscopic
value of conservative management. images to highlight salient features.
Each patient presented here was established within
Introduction the practice and had had strobovideolaryngoscopy
Acute infectious laryngitis is one of the most com- performed before, during, and after an acute episode
mon disorders of the larynx and is often associated of infectious laryngitis.
with upper respiratory tract infections (URIs), as The examinations performed before the current visits
reported more than a decade ago in a Cochrane re- often were performed routinely at the patient’s request,
view.1 Laryngeal inflammation can cause hoarseness, to establish the normal baseline appearance of their
sore throat, and difficulty swallowing. These symp- vocal folds when they were healthy. In some cases, they
toms usually subside within 3 weeks but may persist were performed incidentally during evaluation for other
much longer (months). complaints, but none was performed for laryngitis or
It can be difficult to distinguish between bacterial any other acute laryngeal problem. These examinations
and viral origins.1 Viral laryngitis can be caused by established the “normal” basline laryngoscopic appear-
many organisms, including but not limited to, influ- ance for each of these patients.
enza virus, adenovirus, and even Varicella zoster virus.
Acute bacterial laryngitis presents similarly; however, Case reports
purulent secretions are observed more commonly in Patient 1. A 37-year-old woman presented with a his-
patients with a bacterial infection.2 Treatment for viral tory of cough for 1 week and a gradual onset of hoarse-
ness that began 2 days before the visit. These symp-
From the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, toms progressed to aphonia for 3 days and a sensation
Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia (Dr. Jaworek, of throat swelling. Strobovideolaryngoscopy (SVL) re-
Dr. Lyons, and Dr. Sataloff); Specialty Physician Associates, vealed a new right mid-membranous vocal fold mass,
Bethlehem, Pa. (Dr. Jaworek); Drexel University College of Medicine,
moderate erythema and edema of the true vocal folds
Philadelphia (Dr. Earasi and Mr. Daggumati); and the Department
of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, the University of British and arytenoids, and thick mucopurulent secretions
Columbia, Vancouver (Dr. Hu). The cases described in this article (figure 1, A). The proximal trachea also appeared in-
occurred at Drexel University College of Medicine. flamed. Acute laryngotracheitis was diagnosed, and
Corresponding author: Robert T. Sataloff, MD, DMA, FACS, 219 N.
amoxicillin-clavulanate and prednisone were pre-
Broad St., 10th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107. Email: RTSataloff@
PhillyENT.com scribed for 7 days.

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Jaworek, Earasi, Lyons, Daggumati, Hu, Sataloff

The patient did not return until 15 weeks later, at


which time SVL confirmed resolution of the infection
(figure 3, B).
Patient 4. A 35-year-old woman presented with acute
hoarseness and cough of 1 to 2 weeks’ duration. SVL re-
vealed moderate erythema and edema of the arytenoids
Figure 1. Patient 1 during acute infectious laryngitis episode (A) and Reinke edema. Severe inflammation was observed
and after resolution of the laryngitis (B).
involving the true vocal folds, subglottis, trachea, and
Follow-up SVL 8 days later demonstrated resolution the interarytenoid region (figure 4, A). Purulent secre-
of the patient's right vocal fold mass, and the true vocal tions were evident, and amoxicillin-clavulanate was
folds were no longer erythematous. The appearance of prescribed for 7 days.
her arytenoids and consistency of her secretions had
returned to baseline (figure 1, B).
Patient 2. A 29-year-old man experienced hoarseness
that progressed to aphonia 4 days before his office visit.
Cough, increased mucus production, and a sensation of
swelling of the throat were reported, as well. SVL revealed
moderate edema and severe erythema of the arytenoids,
and erythema and edema of the true vocal folds with
increased vascularity (figure 2, A). Thick mucus was visu- Figure 4. Patient 4 during acute infectious laryngitis episode (A)
alized in the larynx, as well as bilateral mid-membranous and after resolution of the laryngitis (B).
inflammatory masses with an exudative appearance. A
diagnosis of acute infectious laryngitis was made, and Follow-up 3 weeks later with SVL revealed improve-
amoxicillin-clavulanate was prescribed for 7 days. ment in Reinke edema, erythema of the larynx and
trachea, and the consistency of secretions (figure 4, B).
Patient 5. A 34-year-old man presented with
hoarseness and cough for 2.5 weeks. His voice had
deteriorated gradually over the previous few days to
a whisper. SVL revealed new lesions on the posterior
third of each musculomembranous vocal fold that ap-
peared inflammatory (figure 5, A). A diagnosis of acute
laryngitis was made, and the patient was treated with
Figure 2. Patient 2 during acute infectious laryngitis episode (A)
and after resolution of the laryngitis (B). amoxicillin for 14 days. Fluconazole and nystatin were
prescribed empirically to treat suspected superimposed.
SVL 3 weeks later demonstrated resolution of the acute fungal laryngitis, especially since prednisone also was
changes, and only the baseline pathology remained, prescribed for 2 weeks to help with the inflammation.
which included laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and
vocal fold scar (figure 2, B).
Patient 3. A 17-year-old female singer had a history
of vocal fold nodules and reflux laryngitis. She report-
ed a productive cough for the previous 24 hours. SVL
revealed edema of the true vocal folds and erythema
of the larynx. Thick yellow mucus was observed from
within the trachea (figure 3, A). A diagnosis of acute Figure 5. Patient 5 during acute infectious laryngitis episode (A)
laryngotracheitis was made, and the patient was started and after resolution of the laryngitis (B).
on amoxicillin-clavulanate for 10 days.
The patient returned 1 week later for follow-up. SVL
revealed resolution of the true vocal fold lesions and
accompanying erythema and edema (figure 5, B). The
patient’s hoarseness also had improved markedly.
Patient 6. A 31-year-old woman presented with sore
throat, odynophagia, hoarseness, and a cough produc-
tive of yellow sputum for 1 week. She reported vocal
Figure 3. Patient 3 during acute infectious laryngitis episode (A) fatigue, reduced projection, and loss of range when
and after resolution of the laryngitis (B).

308 www.entjournal.com ENT-Ear, Nose & Throat Journal September 2018


Jaworek, Earasi, Lyons, Daggumati, Hu, Sataloff

singing. She had been staying hydrated and taking a At follow-up 1 week later, the patient’s voice had
decongestant, expectorant, and cough suppressant. improved markedly. She reported that she had been
SVL revealed three areas of swelling along the vibra- able to speak “normally” after 5 days of treatment.
tory margin of the left vocal fold with a “tongue and SVL revealed resolution of the inflammatory vocal fold
groove” effect along the contralateral vocal fold. There masses, return to baseline of laryngeal erythema and
were prominent vessels along this patient’s vocal folds, edema, and the vibratory characteristics of the vocal
and her larynx appeared erythematous (figure 6, A). folds had improved. (figure 7, B).
Decreased mucosal wave and vibration of the true
vocal folds were observed. The patient was treated Summary of symptoms
with amoxicillin-clavulanate for 10 days along with On presentation, all 7 patients reported hoarseness,
guaifenesin for congestion. 6 had cough, 3 had increased mucus/phlegm, and 3
had aphonia. SVL revealed laryngeal edema and ery-
thema in all 7 patients, a new vocal mass in 5 patients
compared with their baseline examinations, increased
mucus in 4 patients, and tracheal involvement in 3 pa-
tients. The duration of symptoms before and after the
patients’ initial visits is shown in figure 8.

Discussion
Figure 6. Patient 6 during acute infectious laryngitis episode (A) These 7 patients provided novel insights into the pre-
and after resolution of the laryngitis (B). sentation of acute infectious laryngitis. Of particular
interest was the development of acute inflammatory
The patient returned 7 weeks later for follow-up. At vocal fold masses along the vibratory margin and in-
that time, she reported that she had had a sore throat creased laryngeal edema and erythema compared to
for the previous week and that she had begun coughing baseline. Voice change and laryngeal edema and er-
up yellow sputum. She was treated with levofloxacin for ythema were present in all 7 patients. Cough was a
7 days and oseltamivir for 5 days. When she returned presenting symptom in 6, and new vocal fold masses
3 weeks later, follow-up SVL showed resolution of her along the vibratory margin were present in 5 patients.
inflammatory masses, and the mucosal wave and vi- An increased amount of thick mucus involving the
bratory characteristics of the vocal folds had returned larynx was observed in 4 patients, with additional pa-
to baseline (figure 6, B). tients reporting a productive cough. The duration of
Patient 7. A 29-year-old woman presented with an symptoms ranged from 15 days to 35 days. The mean
acute episode of hoarseness progressing to aphonia, time to symptom resolution after initiation of medical
which she had experienced 3 days before her appoint- therapy was 16 days. Follow up SVL confirmed resolu-
ment. She also reported a sore throat, odynophagia, and tion of the acute findings in all 7 patients.
cough for 5 days. She had been taking a cough suppres- Acute infectious laryngitis is characterized by in-
sant, antihistamine, decongestant, and acetaminophen flammation of the larynx that usually resolves within
to relieve her symptoms, and she had increased oral 3 weeks. The condition often accompanies upper respi-
hydration. SVL revealed increased Reinke edema and ratory tract infections with symptoms that may include
new bilateral mid-membranous vocal fold masses (figure hoarseness, sore throat, odynophonia, odynophagia,
7, A). The amplitude and wave form of the vocal folds dysphagia, dyspnea, cough, congestion, postnasal drip,
were decreased. She was diagnosed with acute laryngitis and mucus. The hoarseness often is accompanied by
and treated with amoxicillin-clavulanate for 10 days lowering of pitch that persists for 3 to 8 days in most
and a methylprednisolone taper. cases.1 The voice may sound breathy and/or raspy, and
compensatory muscle tension dysphonia often is present.
SVL frequently reveals erythema and edema of the
larynx involving the true vocal folds, resulting in
alteration of the mucosal wave and vibratory charac-
teristics. Inflammatory masses also can develop on the
true vocal folds, further exacerbating the dysphonia
and altered pitch.
Acute infectious laryngitis is caused by numerous
Figure 7. Patient 7 during acute infectious laryngitis episode (A) pathogens. Among these, viral pathogens are believed
and after resolution of the laryngitis (B). to be most prevalent, following patterns similar to

310 www.entjournal.com ENT-Ear, Nose & Throat Journal September 2018


For the treatment of AOMT in pediatric patients
due to S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae,
M. catarrhalis, and P. aeruginosa.

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OTOVEL® (ciprofloxacin and
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dose each—dose BID/7 days1 in 2 clinical trials1,5

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AOMT=acute otitis media with tympanostomy tubes; BID=twice daily.

INDICATIONS
OTOVEL® (ciprofloxacin and fluocinolone acetonide) is indicated for the treatment of acute otitis media
with tympanostomy tubes (AOMT) in pediatric patients (aged 6 months and older) due to S. aureus,
S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, and P. aeruginosa.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION


Contraindications
OTOVEL is contraindicated in:
• Patients with known hypersensitivity to fluocinolone acetonide or other corticosteroids, ciprofloxacin
or other quinolones, or to any other component of OTOVEL.
• Viral infections of the external ear canal, including varicella and herpes simplex infections and fungal
otic infections.
The following Warnings and Precautions have been associated with OTOVEL: hypersensitivity reactions,
potential for microbial overgrowth with prolonged use, and continued or recurrent otorrhea.
The most common adverse reactions are otorrhea, excessive granulation tissue, ear infection, ear
pruritis, tympanic membrane disorder, auricular swelling, and balance disorder.
For additional Important Safety Information, please see Brief Summary of Prescribing Information
on adjacent page, and full Prescribing Information available at www.otovel.com.
References: 1. Otovel [package insert]. Atlanta, GA: Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC. 2016. 2. Data on file. Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC. 3. Guidance Otovel is a registered trademark of Laboratorios
for industry: sterile drug products produced by aseptic processing—current good manufacturing practice. Food and Drug Administration. Salvat, S.A. with the US Patent and Trademark
Office and under license by Arbor
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/Guidances/ucm070342.pdf. Published September 2004. Accessed March 15, 2018. 4. Orange Book:
Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Trademarks are the
Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. US Food and Drug Administration. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/
property of their respective owners.
cder/ob/default.cfm. Updated May 17, 2013. Accessed July 15, 2016. 5. Spektor Z, Pumarola P, Ismail K, et al. Efficacy and safety of ciprofloxacin
plus fluocinolone in otitis media with tympanostomy tubes in pediatric patients: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. © 2018 Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC. All rights
2017;143(4):341-349. reserved. Printed in USA. PP-OTO-US-0268
OTOVEL® (ciprofloxacin and fluocinolone acetonide) otic solution
Table 1: Selected Adverse Reactions that Occurred in 1 or more Patients in the
Brief Summary of Prescribing Information
OTOVEL Group
1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE
OTOVEL is indicated for the treatment of acute otitis media with tympanostomy Number (%) of Patients
tubes (AOMT) in pediatric patients (aged 6 months and older) due to Staphylococcus
aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, OTOVEL CIPRO FLUO
and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Adverse Reactions1 N=224 N=220 N=213

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Otorrhea 12 (5.4%) 9 (4.1%) 12 (5.6%)


• OTOVEL is for otic use only. It is not for ophthalmic use, or for injection. Excessive granulation tissue 3 (1.3%) 0 (0.0%) 2 (0.9%)
The recommended dosage regimen is as follows:
Ear infection 2 (0.9%) 3 (1.4%) 1 (0.5%)
• Instill the contents of one single-dose vial 0.25 mL into the affected ear canal
twice daily (approximately every 12 hours) for 7 days. Use this dosing for patients Ear pruritus 2 (0.9%) 1 (0.5%) 1 (0.5%)
aged 6 months of age and older.
Tympanic membrane disorder 2 (0.9%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
• Warm the solution by holding the vial in the hand for 1 to 2 minutes. This is to
avoid dizziness, which may result from the instillation of a cold solution into Auricular swelling 1 (0.4%) 1 (0.5%) 0 (0.0%)
the ear canal.
• The patient should lie with the affected ear upward, and then instill the Balance disorder 1 (0.4%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
medication.
• Pump the tragus 4 times by pushing inward to facilitate penetration of the Selected adverse reactions that occurred in ≥ 1 patient in the OTOVEL group derived
1

medication into the middle ear. from all reported adverse events that could be related to the study drug or the drug
class.
• Maintain this position for 1 minute. Repeat, if necessary, for the opposite ear
[see Instructions for Use]. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS ciprofloxacin and fluocinolone acetonide otic solution, 0.3% / 0.025% outside the US.
Otic Solution: Each single-dose vial of OTOVEL (ciprofloxacin 0.3 % and fluocinolone Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size,
acetonide 0.025 %) delivers 0.25 mL of solution equivalent to ciprofloxacin 0.75 mg it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal
and fluocinolone acetonide 0.0625 mg. relationship to drug exposure.
4 CONTRAINDICATIONS • Immune system disorders: allergic reaction.
OTOVEL is contraindicated in:
• Infections and infestations: candidiasis.
• Patients with known hypersensitivity to fluocinolone acetonide or other
corticosteroids, ciprofloxacin or other quinolones, or to any other components • Nervous system disorders: dysgeusia, paresthesia (tingling in ears), dizziness,
of OTOVEL. headache.

• Viral infections of the external ear canal, including varicella and herpes simplex • Ear and labyrinth disorders: ear discomfort, hypoacusis, tinnitus, ear congestion.
infections and fungal otic infections. • Vascular disorders: flushing.
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS • Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: skin exfoliation.
5.1 Hypersensitivity Reactions
OTOVEL should be discontinued at the first appearance of a skin rash or any other • Injury, poisoning and procedural complications: device occlusion (tympanostomy
sign of hypersensitivity. Serious and occasionally fatal hypersensitivity (anaphylactic) tube obstruction).
reactions, some following the first dose, have been reported in patients receiving 8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
systemic quinolones. Some reactions were accompanied by cardiovascular 8.1 Pregnancy
collapse, loss of consciousness, angioedema (including laryngeal, pharyngeal or Risk Summary
facial edema), airway obstruction, dyspnea, urticaria and itching. Serious acute OTOVEL is negligibly absorbed following otic administration and maternal use is
hypersensitivity reactions may require immediate emergency treatment. not expected to result in fetal exposure to ciprofloxacin and fluocinolone acetonide
5.2 Potential for Microbial Overgrowth with Prolonged Use (12.3)].
Prolonged use of OTOVEL may result in overgrowth of non-susceptible bacteria and 8.2 Lactation
fungi. If the infection is not improved after one week of treatment, cultures should Risk Summary
be obtained to guide further treatment. If such infections occur, discontinue use and OTOVEL is negligibly absorbed by the mother following otic administration and
institute alternative therapy. breastfeeding is not expected to result in exposure of the infant to ciprofloxacin and
5.3 Continued or Recurrent Otorrhea fluocinolone acetonide.
If otorrhea persists after a full course of therapy, or if two or more episodes of 8.4 Pediatric Use
otorrhea occur within 6 months, further evaluation is recommended to exclude an OTOVEL has been studied in patients as young as 6 months in adequate and well-
underlying condition such as cholesteatoma, foreign body, or a tumor. controlled clinical trials. No major differences in safety and effectiveness have been
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS observed between adult and pediatric patients.
The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: 8.5 Geriatric Use
Hypersensitivity Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] Clinical studies of OTOVEL did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65
6.1 Clinical Trials Experience years and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects.
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses
reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared between the elderly and younger patients.
to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed 10 OVERDOSAGE
in practice. Due to the characteristics of this preparation, no toxic effects are to be expected
In clinical trials, 224 patients with AOMT were treated with OTOVEL for a median with an otic overdose of OTOVEL.
duration of 7 days. All the patients received at least one dose of OTOVEL. There were
220 patients who received at least one dose of ciprofloxacin (CIPRO) and 213 patients
Distributed by:
received at least one dose of fluocinolone acetonide (FLUO). The most common
Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC
adverse reactions that occurred in 1 or more patients are as follows:
Atlanta, GA 30328
Under license of Laboratorios SALVAT, S.A.
OTOVEL is a registered trademark of Laboratorios SALVAT, S.A.
U.S. Patent No: 8,932,610
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
For more detailed information, see the full prescribing information for Otovel at
www.otovel.com or contact Arbor Pharmaceuticals, LLC at 1-866-516-4950.
Acute infectious laryngitis: A case series

LPR, a chronic form of laryngitis, can have signs and


symptoms that overlap with those of acute infectious
laryngitis. The distinguishing features of reflux laryngitis
include a longer duration of symptoms (usually over
many weeks, months, or even years), exacerbating fac-
tors (symptoms with meals or certain foods and during
specific activities), response to proton pump inhibitor/H2
blocker, and erythema/edema commonly most promi-
nent on or isolated to the region of the arytenoids.4 When
the two pathologies coexist, it is prudent to allow the
acute laryngitis episode to resolve before making a final
Figure 8. Graph shows the duration of symptoms in the 7 assessment of the need for long-term treatment for the
patients before and after their visits. (Note: 6a and 6b represent reflux, but acute treatment of LPR is advisable to decrease
two separate episodes in the same patient. The total duration of inflammation caused by both LPR and infection. When
symptoms was not known for patients 3 and 6a.)
any uncertainty in the diagnosis remains, a 24-hour pH
impedance test can be helpful.
those for URI. They include parainfluenza, rhinovirus, Another form of chronic laryngitis, prolonged ulcer-
influenza virus, and adenovirus. Bacterial pathogens ative laryngitis, also has been and reported by the senior
that have been associated with acute laryngitis include author (RTS), among others.5 Symptoms and abnormal
Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, and SVL may persist for many weeks (up to 5 months or
Streptococcus pneumoniae, with M catarrhalis being longer in some cases). Antibiotics and corticosteroids
the most common.2 Extension to the larynx of an are ineffective, and the etiology remains unknown,
infection involving the upper aerodigestive tract can although the senior author suspects that biofilms may
occur. In some cases, a sputum culture may be helpful play a role.
to direct therapy.
The treatment for viral and bacterial laryngitis Conclusion
includes supportive measures. At least relative voice Acute infectious laryngitis presents commonly during
rest, humidification, analgesics, and hydration should URI. Through SVL images, the changes along the mus-
be considered along with mucolytics, decongestants, culomembranous vocal folds have been defined clearly
and glucocorticoid steroids. In addition, antibiotics and documented in this case series. Further investiga-
may be prescribed in cases in which a bacterial infec- tion with prospective, randomized, controlled trials
tion is suspected (e.g., tracheitis, purulent secretions, is needed to improve our understanding of ways to
immunocompromised state, protracted course, pos- differentiate viral from bacterial causes, to determine
itive culture, etc.). They also may be used when the whether the structural changes seen in this series of
etiology is uncertain but pressing voice commitments voice professionals also occur routinely in other pa-
are imminent. tients, to help guide appropriate use or nonuse of an-
A Cochrane Review completed in 2015 investigated tibiotics without inappropriate delays awaiting culture
the benefits of antibiotic usage for acute laryngitis.3 results (especially for voice professionals), and to iden-
After reviewing the only two placebo-controlled, ran- tify the most effective treatment strategies in various
domized trials that met their inclusion criteria, the patient populations.
authors concluded that antibiotics appeared to have
no benefit; however, they acknowledged that one of References
the studies demonstrated a significant reduction in 1. Reveiz L, Cardona AF, Ospina EG. Antibiotics for acute laryngitis
in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007;2:CD004783
severity of reported vocal symptoms after 1 week on
2. Dworkin JP. Laryngitis: Types, causes, and treatments.
erythromycin (vs. placebo) and a significant reduction Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2008;41(2):419-36.
in cough after 2 weeks with antibiotics.1 3. Reveiz L, Cardona AF. Antibiotics for acute laryngitis in adults.
Since the patients in our series were professional Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015;5:CD004783
voice users, expeditious return to baseline vocal func- 4. Joniau S, Bradshaw A, Esterman A, Carney AS. Reflux and
laryngitis: A systematic review. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
tion was a primary concern. Therefore, prescribing an
2007;136(5):686-92.
antibiotic was justified based on the conclusions of the 5. Sataloff RT. Common infections, inflammations and other
study included in the Cochrane Review, as well as on conditions: Management in singers and actors. In: Sataloff RT.
the uncertainty of the etiology and the need for rapid Professional Voice: The Science and Art of Clinical Care. 3rd ed.
return to safe phonation. San Diego: Plural Publications; 2005:809.

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