Winters Are Always Harsh: Factors Affecting Prognosis in Children Diagnosed with Lower Respiratory Tract Infection

Abstract

Aim: A significant proportion of patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTIs) require hospitalization. This study aims to determine the prognostic factors affecting morbidity and mortality by comparing respiratory infection panels, demographic characteristics, and laboratory findings of patients diagnosed with ALRTI who required hospitalization and those treated on an outpatient basis. Material and Methods: Ninety-three patients diagnosed with ALRTI based on history, physical examination, chest radiography, and laboratory tests, who presented to our pediatric health and diseases clinics, were included. The patients' chest radiographs, demographic data, and laboratory and clinical findings were compared. Results: Of the cases included in our study, 56 (60.22%) were treated through hospitalization. The respiratory infection panel identified RSV in 44 (47.31%) cases and Influenza A in 20 (21.5%) cases. It was found that the infectious agents had no significant effect on the length of hospital stay. In our study, patients infected with Influenza had a longer disease duration compared to other cases, but their fever degree, WBC, and neutrophil count were lower. When comparing cases infected with bacterial, viral, and co-infection agents, it was found that the co-infected cases had significantly higher fever degrees and plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Viral and co-infected cases had significantly lower sPO2 levels. Conclusion: It was observed that plasma vitamin levels and infectious agents did not affect the need for hospitalization. Co-infected cases had significantly higher fever degrees and plasma CRP levels, while viral and co-infected cases had significantly lower sPO2 levels.

Keywords

• Respiratory Syncytial Virus
• 25-hydroxyvitamin D
• Lower respiratory tract infection

Kışlar Hep Çetin Geçer: Çocuklarda Alt Solunum Yolu Enfeksiyonu Etkenleri ve Prognozu Etkileyen Faktörler

Abstract

Amaç: Akut alt solunum yolu enfeksiyonlarının (ASYE) önemli bir kısmının hastaneye yatış ihtiyacı olmaktadır. Bu çalışmada yatış ihtiyacı olan ve ayaktan tedavi edilen ASYE tanılı hastaların solunum yolu enfeksiyon panellerini, demografik özelliklerini, laboratuvar bulgularını karşılaştırarak morbidite ve mortaliteyi etkileyen prognostik faktörleri belirlemeyi amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çocuk sağlığı ve hastalıkları kliniğimize başvuran, öykü, fizik muayene, akciğer radyogramı ve tetkikler sonucu ASYE tanısı konan 93 hasta çalışmaya dahil edildi. Hastaların akciğer radyografileri, demografik verileri, laboratuvar ve klinik bulguları karşılaştırıldı. Bulgular: Çalışmamıza katılan olguların 56’sı (%60,22)’sı hastaneye yatırılarak tedavi edildi. Solunum yolu enfeksiyon panelinde 44 (%47,31) olguda RSV, 20 (%21,5) olguda ise İnfluenza A PCR pozitifti. Enfeksiyon etkenlerinin yatış süresi üzerine anlamlı etkisi olmadığı saptandı. Çalışmamızda İnfluenza A ile enfekte olguların diğer olgulara göre semptomların daha uzun sürdüğü ancak, ateş derecesi, WBC ve nötrofil sayısının daha düşük olduğu saptandı. Bakteriyel, viral ve ko-enfeksiyon etkenlerle enfekte olgular karşılaştırıldığında ise ko-enfekte olguların ateş derecesi ve plazma C-reaktif protein düzeylerinin anlamlı düzeyde yüksek olduğu saptandı. Viral ve ko-enfekte olguların sPO2 düzeylerinin anlamlı düzeyde düşük olduğu saptandı. Sonuç: Hem plazma vitamin düzeylerinin, hem de enfeksiyon etkenlerinin hastaneye yatış ihtiyacını etkilemediği saptanmıştır. Ayrıca Ko-enfekte olguların ateş derecesi ve plazma CRP düzeyleri anlamlı düzeyde yüksek, viral ve ko-enfekte olguların sPO2 düzeylerinin anlamlı düzeyde düşük olduğu saptanmıştır.

Keywords

• Alt solunum yolu enfeksiyonu
• Respiratuvar Sinsityal Virüs
• 25-hidroksi vitamin D

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