Baseline characteristics of 306 patients with sore throat by streptococcal culture, southern Norway 2000–2002.
| GAS n = 127 | C or G n = 33 | Culture -ve n = 146 | Total n = 306 | P-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age (years) | 21.5 | 25.2 | 5.8 | 23.9 | 0.02a |
| (95% CI) | (19.0 to 23.9) | (20.6 to 29.7) | (23.2 to 28.4) | (22.2 to 25.6) | |
| Number of males (%) | 48 (38) | 13 (39) | 62 (43) | 123 (40) | ns |
| Duration of complaints | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 0.008a |
| in days (95% CI) | (2.7 to 3.3) | (2.4 to 3.7) | (3.2 to 3.8) | (3.0 to 3.4) | |
| Positive ADT GAS test (%) | 123 (97) | 1 (3) | 9 (6) | 133 (43) | |
| Mean CRP-values | 50 | 43 | 34 | 41 | 0.001a |
| (95% CI) | (41 to 59) | (32 to 53) | (29 to 40) | (37 to 46) |
↵a GAS versus group with no bacteria. GAS = group A streptococci. ADT = antigen detecting test.