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The effect of temperature reduction on respiratory rate in febrile illnesses

T J O'Dempsey1, B E Laurence, T F McArdle

  • 1Medical Research Council Laboratories, Banjul, The Gambia.

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|April 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Fever influences children's respiratory rates, but doesn't solely explain pneumonia diagnosis. Understanding temperature's effect is crucial for accurate pneumonia diagnosis in febrile children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • A raised respiratory rate is a key indicator for diagnosing childhood pneumonia.
  • Children with malaria and other febrile illnesses can also exhibit increased respiratory rates.
  • The contribution of elevated body temperature to respiratory rate in these children requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the impact of body temperature changes on respiratory rate in sick Gambian children.
  • To differentiate the causes of raised respiratory rate in children with pneumonia versus malaria.
  • To assess the diagnostic utility of respiratory rate after fever reduction.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 186 sick Gambian children presenting with a raised respiratory rate.
  • Measured the effect of body temperature fluctuations on respiratory rate.
  • Included children diagnosed with pneumonia, malaria, or other febrile illnesses.

Main Results:

  • A temperature-dependent increase in respiratory rate of 3.7 breaths/min/°C was observed across all participants.
  • No significant difference in temperature-dependent respiratory rate was found between children with pneumonia and malaria.
  • A significant proportion of pneumonia cases had respiratory rates below WHO guidelines after fever reduction.

Conclusions:

  • Body temperature partially influences respiratory rate in febrile illnesses like pneumonia and malaria.
  • Fever reduction alone does not fully account for elevated respiratory rates in these conditions.
  • Assessing antipyretic use is vital for accurate pneumonia diagnosis in children with fever.

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