Risk factors for pleural effusion in children with plastic bronchitis caused by pneumonia

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Clinical Medicine
• Respiratory Diseases

Background:

• Plastic bronchitis is a rare but serious condition in children, often linked to pneumonia.
• Pleural effusion (PE) is a significant complication that requires careful monitoring and risk assessment.
• Understanding the clinical features and risk factors for PE is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics of children diagnosed with plastic bronchitis secondary to pneumonia.
• To identify and assess risk factors associated with the development of pleural effusion (PE) in this pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study analyzed 69 children with plastic bronchitis hospitalized between January 2017 and April 2023.
• Participants were grouped based on the presence or absence of PE, with analysis of clinical manifestations and laboratory findings.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify PE risk factors.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in sex, age, or etiology were observed between groups with and without PE.
• Significant differences were noted in fever duration, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).
• Elevated CRP (OR 8.358) and LDH (OR 5.851) were identified as significant predictors of PE, with an AUC of 0.797 for the combined model.

Conclusions:

• Combined detection of CRP and LDH effectively predicts the risk of pleural effusion in children with pneumonia-induced plastic bronchitis.
• These biomarkers can aid in early risk stratification and management of pediatric plastic bronchitis.
• Further research may refine predictive models for PE in this condition.