Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia
Background: Pharyngitis is a common presentation seen in general practice, but it is difficult to differentiate whether its etiology is viral or bacterial. The Centor score gives an approximation of the etiology of the pharyngitis, which informs physicians of the need to prescribe antibiotics. This...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
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Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia
2022
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/100623/ |
| _version_ | 1848863371878727680 |
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| author | Muthanna, AbdulRahman Shamsuddin, Nurainul Hana Abdul Rashid, Aneesa Shariff Ghazali, Sazlina Awang Hamat, Rukman Maliza Mawardi, Maliza Mawardi Salim, Hani Syahida Zakariah, Siti Zulaikha |
| author_facet | Muthanna, AbdulRahman Shamsuddin, Nurainul Hana Abdul Rashid, Aneesa Shariff Ghazali, Sazlina Awang Hamat, Rukman Maliza Mawardi, Maliza Mawardi Salim, Hani Syahida Zakariah, Siti Zulaikha |
| author_sort | Muthanna, AbdulRahman |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: Pharyngitis is a common presentation seen in general practice, but it is difficult to differentiate whether its etiology is viral or bacterial. The Centor score gives an approximation of the etiology of the pharyngitis, which informs physicians of the need to prescribe antibiotics. This study aimed to assess the validity of the Centor score in diagnosing Group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis amongst adults in Malaysia.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the clinical criteria of the Centor score to the gold standard throat swab culture results amongst 215 adults presenting with sore throat in primary care clinics. The participants were adult patients who complained of sore throat and visited the three public primary care clinics in Sepang, Malaysia. The convenience sampling method was used. The throat swabs were analysed for β-haemolytic streptococci. Demographic and clinical data, including the Centor score, were analysed in relation to the pathogen.
Results: Pharyngitis was diagnosed in 130 (60.5%) of the participants. Six isolates (2.4%) were identified as GAS pharyngitis. Both Centor scores 3 and 4 had a sensitivity of 50%, and specificities of 97.6% and 100%, respectively.
Conclusion: A Centor score < 3 is favourable for excluding a diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis. Centor scores 3 and 4 require further examination to confirm a diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T13:31:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | upm-100623 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T13:31:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-1006232023-09-21T05:07:15Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/100623/ Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia Muthanna, AbdulRahman Shamsuddin, Nurainul Hana Abdul Rashid, Aneesa Shariff Ghazali, Sazlina Awang Hamat, Rukman Maliza Mawardi, Maliza Mawardi Salim, Hani Syahida Zakariah, Siti Zulaikha Background: Pharyngitis is a common presentation seen in general practice, but it is difficult to differentiate whether its etiology is viral or bacterial. The Centor score gives an approximation of the etiology of the pharyngitis, which informs physicians of the need to prescribe antibiotics. This study aimed to assess the validity of the Centor score in diagnosing Group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis amongst adults in Malaysia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the clinical criteria of the Centor score to the gold standard throat swab culture results amongst 215 adults presenting with sore throat in primary care clinics. The participants were adult patients who complained of sore throat and visited the three public primary care clinics in Sepang, Malaysia. The convenience sampling method was used. The throat swabs were analysed for β-haemolytic streptococci. Demographic and clinical data, including the Centor score, were analysed in relation to the pathogen. Results: Pharyngitis was diagnosed in 130 (60.5%) of the participants. Six isolates (2.4%) were identified as GAS pharyngitis. Both Centor scores 3 and 4 had a sensitivity of 50%, and specificities of 97.6% and 100%, respectively. Conclusion: A Centor score < 3 is favourable for excluding a diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis. Centor scores 3 and 4 require further examination to confirm a diagnosis of GAS pharyngitis. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia 2022-08 Article PeerReviewed Muthanna, AbdulRahman and Shamsuddin, Nurainul Hana and Abdul Rashid, Aneesa and Shariff Ghazali, Sazlina and Awang Hamat, Rukman and Maliza Mawardi, Maliza Mawardi and Salim, Hani Syahida and Zakariah, Siti Zulaikha (2022) Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia. The Malaysian Journal of Medical Science, 29 (4). 88 - 97. ISSN 1394-195X https://www.proquest.com/docview/2738608639?parentSessionId=qmRyDSVIOVFb02PdBYLHzDgLdqcUTkZcC5xeeKGuQ5g%3D# 10.21315/mjms2022.29.4.9 |
| spellingShingle | Muthanna, AbdulRahman Shamsuddin, Nurainul Hana Abdul Rashid, Aneesa Shariff Ghazali, Sazlina Awang Hamat, Rukman Maliza Mawardi, Maliza Mawardi Salim, Hani Syahida Zakariah, Siti Zulaikha Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia |
| title | Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia |
| title_full | Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia |
| title_fullStr | Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia |
| title_short | Diagnostic accuracy of Centor score for diagnosis of group a Streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in Malaysia |
| title_sort | diagnostic accuracy of centor score for diagnosis of group a streptococcal pharyngitis among adults in primary care clinics in malaysia |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/100623/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/100623/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/100623/ |