What are the key clinical signs and symptoms that suggest a diagnosis of epiglottitis in adults and children?

Key clinical signs and symptoms suggesting epiglottitis in both adults and children include:

• Sudden onset of severe sore throat often disproportionate to oropharyngeal findings, indicating deep tissue inflammation ¹ (Fontanarosa et al., 1989).
• High fever commonly accompanies the presentation in both age groups ¹ (Sobol and Zapata, 2008).
• Dysphagia and odynophagia (difficulty and pain on swallowing) are prominent features due to epiglottic swelling ¹ (Fontanarosa et al., 1989).
• Drooling is a key sign, especially in children, reflecting inability to swallow saliva secondary to painful throat and airway obstruction risk ¹ (Sobol and Zapata, 2008).
• Stridor and respiratory distress may develop rapidly, indicating upper airway obstruction; this is a critical sign in both adults and children ¹ (Fontanarosa et al., 1989).
• Voice changes such as muffled or hoarse voice are common due to supraglottic inflammation ¹ (Sobol and Zapata, 2008).
• Tripod or sniffing position is often adopted by children to ease breathing, and may also be seen in adults ¹ (Fontanarosa et al., 1989).
• Absence of cough helps differentiate epiglottitis from croup, which is more common in children ¹ (Sobol and Zapata, 2008).

Overall, the clinical picture is of a rapidly progressive upper airway infection with severe throat pain, fever, difficulty swallowing, drooling, and signs of airway obstruction. Early recognition of these signs in both adults and children is essential to prevent airway compromise ¹ (Fontanarosa et al., 1989; Sobol and Zapata, 2008).