The Impact of Metabolic Comorbidities (Diabetes, Hypertension) on the Severity and Progression of Oropharyngeal Infections

Q: Which metabolic and inflammatory markers were analyzed in the study?

The study analyzed metabolic parameters (glycemia and BMI) and inflammatory parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein).

Q: What was the relationship between hypertension and inflammatory markers?

Hypertension correlated with glycemia but showed no significant correlation with CRP, suggesting differential links to metabolic versus inflammatory response.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by CatatanPagi

Metabolic comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension can modify how oropharyngeal infections evolve and how severe they become. This retrospective study assessed inflammatory markers (ESR, CRP) and metabolic parameters (glycemia, BMI) in patients with severe oropharyngeal infections, comparing results by comorbidity presence. Severe infections showed markedly higher glycemia and CRP levels. Hypertension correlated with glycemia but not CRP, supporting metabolic interplay in disease progression.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background/Aim

Patients and Methods

Results

Conclusion

Introduction

Role of metabolic comorbidities in severity and prognosis

doi: 10.21873/invivo.14228 The Impact of Metabolic Comorbidities (Diabetes, Hypertension) on the Severity and Progression of Oropharyngeal Infections FLORIAN CIPRIAN VENTER1, TIMEA CLAUDIA GHITEA2, ADRIAN NICOLAE VENTER3, AMIN‐FLORIN EL‐KHAROUBI3, MOUSA EL‐KHAROUBI4, EVELIN CLAUDIA GHITEA5, MARC CRISTIAN GHITEA5 and AMINA VENTER1 1 Doctoral School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania; 2 Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania; 3 Bihor Clinical County Emergency Hospital, Oradea, Romania; 4The County Emergency Clinical Hospital ofTârgu Mureș, Târgu Mureș, Romania; 5 Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania Abstract Background/Aim: Metabolic comorbidities, such as diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN), can influence the severity and progression of oropharyngeal infections. This study investigated the impact of these conditions on inflammatory and metabolic markers in patients with severe infections. Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with peritonsillar phlegmon, laterocervical/submandibular abscess, and peritonsillar abscess. Metabolic [glycemia, body mass index (BMI)] and inflammatory [erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C‑reactive protein (CRP)] parameters were analyzed based on the presence ofcomorbidities. Linear regression was employed to identify significant associations between variables. Results: Severe oropharyngeal infections were significantly associated with elevated glycemia (R2=0.961, p<0.001) and CRP levels (R2=0.983, p<0.001), indicating an exacerbated inflammatory and metabolic response. Hypertension was correlated with glycemia (p=0.036) but not with CRP (p=0.684) . The presence of metabolic comorbidities did not significantly influence glycemia within the study group. Conclusion: Patients with severe oropharyngeal infections exhibit significantly elevated glycemia and CRP, emphasizing the need for rigorous monitoring of these parameters. Hypertension was associated with glycemic alterations, suggesting a metabolic interplay. These findings underscore the importance of a personalized approach in managing oropharyngeal infections in patients with metabolic comorbidities. Keywords: Oropharyngeal infections, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammation, immune response, metabolic comorbidities, infectious severity, endothelial dysfunction, susceptibility to infections. ✉ Timea Claudia Ghitea, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oradea, Piaţa 1 Decembrie 10, 410068 Oradea, Romania. Tel: +40 723546427, e‑mail: [timea.ghitea@csud.uoradea.ro](timea.ghitea@csud.uoradea.ro) Received February 13, 2025 | Revised March 13, 2025 | Accepted March 14, 2025 This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. ©2026 The Author(s) . Anticancer Research is published by the International Institute of Anticancer Research. Introduction Oropharyngeal infections represent a common health concern, with a wide spectrum of severity ranging from mild to severe complications requiring emergency medical intervention (1) . Several factors influence the progression of these infections, including immunological status, associated comorbidities, and individual inflammatory responses (2) . In this context, metabolic comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) play a crucial role in determining the severity and prognosis of these infections (3). Diabetes mellitus is recognized as a predisposing factor for severe infections due to its impact on immune function and increased susceptibility to bacterial infections (4) . Chronic hyperglycemia impairs chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and the ability of immune cells to

FAQs

Which metabolic and inflammatory markers were analyzed in the study?

The study analyzed metabolic parameters (glycemia and BMI) and inflammatory parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein).

How did severe oropharyngeal infections relate to glycemia and CRP?

Severe oropharyngeal infections were significantly associated with elevated glycemia and higher CRP, indicating an intensified inflammatory and metabolic response.

What was the relationship between hypertension and inflammatory markers?

Hypertension correlated with glycemia but showed no significant correlation with CRP, suggesting differential links to metabolic versus inflammatory response.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by CatatanPagi