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Published on: February 23, 2014
[Pulmonary function in children following community-acquired pneumonia contracted at pre-school age]
A I Jiménez Ortega1, A López-Neyra, V Sanz Santiago
1Servicio Pediatría, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, España. ajota13@hotmail.com
Insights
Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in preschool children does not impact lung function long-term. Follow-up pulmonary function (PF) tests are unnecessary after recovery from childhood CAP.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Respiratory Medicine
Context:
- Previous research suggests a link between infant community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and adult pulmonary function (PF).
- The impact of preschool-age CAP requiring hospitalization on subsequent lung function in children remains less understood.
Purpose:
- To evaluate pulmonary function (PF) in preschool-aged children after experiencing a hospitalised episode of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
- To test the hypothesis that resolved CAP in early childhood does not adversely affect lung function, negating the need for further monitoring.
Summary:
- A cohort of children over 4 years old who were hospitalized for CAP as preschoolers underwent spirometry.
- Of 49 patients, 42 (85.7%) completed the test asymptomatically; mean age was 6.6 years, with a mean follow-up of 19.5 months.
- Results showed normal pulmonary function, with forced respiratory volume in the first second at 107.73% and forced vital capacity at 101.6% of predicted values.
Impact:
- This study indicates that preschool-age community-acquired pneumonia does not lead to lasting pulmonary deficits.
- Findings suggest that routine pulmonary function testing after CAP resolution in children is not clinically indicated.
Aim:
Some studies relate pulmonary function (PF) during adult life to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) suffered during infancy. The aim of the present work was to evaluate PF in children following CAP, contracted at pre-school age, which required hospitalisation. The hypothesis was that, once resolved, CAP in pre-school age children does not affect PF; further monitoring should therefore be unnecessary.
Methods And Materials:
PF was studied in a cohort of children who had suffered CAP at pre-school age, for which they were hospitalised. Children aged over 4 years were selected to try to ensure adequate collaboration, and a forced spirometry test was attempted in all of them.
Results:
Of the initial 49 patients, 42 (85.7%) correctly performed the forced spirometry test. All were asymptomatic at the time of examination. The mean age of these patients was 6,6 ± 1,2 years; 25 were boys (54,3%). The mean time between CAP and the test was 19,5 ± 7,6 months. The results (mean ± SD) obtained with respect to theoretical values were: forced respiratory volume in the first second 107.73 ± 14.56% and forced vital capacity 101,6 ± 15,35%.
Conclusions:
The PF of children who have suffered CAP at pre-school age is normal following the resolution of the condition. No further PF studies are required after CAP resolves.
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