Recurrent respiratory infections in children: a study in clinical practice

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Recurrent respiratory infections (RRI) are a common pediatric concern.
• Identifying predictive factors for RRI is crucial for early intervention.
• Existing research often focuses on specific comorbidities rather than comprehensive ENT evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) clinic visit can identify factors predicting RRI in children.
• To investigate the association between specific clinical and diagnostic findings and the occurrence of RRI.

Main Methods:

• A real-world study involving 1,002 children (mean age 5.77 years) evaluated at an ENT clinic.
• Data collection included clinical visits, nasal endoscopy, and skin prick tests.
• Statistical analysis to identify predictive and protective factors for RRI.

Main Results:

• Recurrent respiratory infections (RRI) were diagnosed in 63.5% of the children.
• Male gender (OR=1.68) and tonsil/adenoid volume were identified as predisposing factors for RRI.
• Familiar atopy (OR=0.68), acute otitis media (OR=0.29), and specific tonsil/adenoid sizes (OR range 0.61-0.47) showed a protective effect against RRI.

Conclusions:

• An ENT visit is effective in identifying predictive factors for childhood RRI.
• Certain factors, such as male gender and tonsil/adenoid size, predispose children to RRI.
• Other factors, including family history of atopy and prior acute otitis media, appear protective against RRI.