Centor criteria

The Centor criteria are a set of criteria which may be used to identify the likelihood of a bacterial infection in adult patients complaining of a sore throat. They were developed as a method to quickly diagnose the presence of Group A streptococcal infection or diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis in "adult patients who presented to an urban emergency room complaining of a sore throat." The Centor criteria are named after Robert M. Centor, an internist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. The patients are judged on four criteria, with one point added for each positive criterion: Absence of cough Tonsillar exudates (ooze) History of fever Tender anterior cervical adenopathy The modified Centor criteria also incorporate the patient's age: Age under 15 add 1 point Age over 44 subtract 1 point A mnemonic to remember Centor is: C – Cough absent, or the incorrect but memorable "Can't Cough" E – Exudate N – Nodes T – temperature (fever) OR – young OR old modifier The point system is important in that it dictates management. Scores may range from −1 to 5. Guidelines for management state: 1, 0 or 1 point(s) – No antibiotic or throat culture necessary (risk of strep. infection