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[Complications of pertussis]
1National Center for Children's Health/Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University/Beijing Pediatric Research Institute/Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100045, China. yaokaihu@bch.com.cn.
Insights
Pertussis (whooping cough) can lead to severe, life-threatening complications like pneumonia and encephalopathy, especially in young children. Understanding these complications is crucial for better diagnosis and treatment of pertussis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Pertussis (whooping cough) presents diverse complications, some life-threatening, particularly in young children who may lack typical symptoms.
- Current diagnostic and treatment standards for pertussis complications are lacking, leading to variability in clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review reported complications of pertussis.
- To provide a reference for improved clinical diagnosis, treatment, and research of pertussis complications.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of reported pertussis complications.
- Categorization of complications including pulmonary, neurological, and secondary infections.
Main Results:
- Identified complications include pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, encephalopathy, convulsions, fractures, hernias, and secondary infections.
- Younger children may exhibit atypical presentations, underscoring the need for awareness of potential complications.
Conclusions:
- A standardized approach to diagnosing and treating pertussis complications is needed.
- Further research and clinical guidelines are essential for managing pertussis-related morbidity and mortality.
Abstract:
Patients with pertussis can have a variety of complications, including pneumonia and subconjunctival hemorrhage. Severe complications, such as pulmonary hypertension and encephalopathy, can be life-threatening. Younger children with pertussis may lack the characteristic clinical manifestations of pertussis, and therefore, a deeper understanding of the complications of pertussis may help to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of pertussis. However, there is still no standard for the diagnosis and treatment of pertussis complications, and there are great differences in diagnostic name, basis, and data used in different reports. This article reviews the complications of pertussis which have been reported so far, such as pulmonary complications (pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, pneumothorax, and mediastinal or subcutaneous emphysema), fractures, hernias, circulatory system complications, nervous system complications (convulsion, encephalopathy, hemorrhage, and hematoma), urinary system complications, and secondary infections, so as to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pertussis complications, scientific research on pertussis complications, and the promotion of standardized diagnosis and treatment of pertussis complications.
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