What are the you risk having your tonsils removed? Remove tonsils in childhood greatly increases the risk of a type of arthritis in later life. The news comes from a Swedish study. Researchers have found that those who had tonsillectomy surgery as children are a third more likely to develop a particular type of arthritis, called ankylosing spondylitis.
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What is ankylosing spondylitis?
This is a particularly insidious pathology, which starts as normal low back pain. This is why it is often difficult to diagnose, but early diagnosis is essential.
Risk factors
That’s why know everyone the risk factors plays a crucial role. Statistically, experts have reported that those who also have an older brother or sister are even more at risk. This suggests how much the family environment in the early part of life is so important in the disease.
Rischi to remove the tonsils: the Swedish study
The researchers analyzed data from approximately 7,000 patients with this disease that affects the joints. The working group compared the data with other risk factors such as:
the age of the mother at the time of birth, the weight of the newborn, the length of the pregnancy, the type of birth, whether natural or by caesarean section.
Other factors considered were the number of brothers or sisterssevere infections in childhood up to age 15, and removal of tonsils or appendicitis before age 16.
Risks of removing tonsils: how much do the chances of developing ankylosing spondylitis increase?
Experts found that those who had older brothers or sisters had a 10 to 15 percent higher risk. Infections during childhood increased the odds by 13 percent. Removing the tonsils raises the risk by 30 percent.
Even the month of birth would have an impact. Being born in autumn or summer exposes you to a lower risk than someone born in winter. You can read the results in the scientific journal British Medical Journal.
Scientists explain that the risk increases if you have older siblings due to the simple fact that they are exposed to a greater number of infections. A little brother or sister are sources of various diseases typical of childhood. Those who have had a tonsillectomy typically have had several respiratory tract infections before. This is why the more older siblings you have, the greater the risk.