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Clinical, nutritional and radiological features of pneumonia
1Children's Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad.
Insights
The National ARI Control Programme guidelines effectively diagnose and manage childhood pneumonia in hospitalized infants and young children. These guidelines proved simple, useful, and effective, with no reported deaths in the study cohort.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality in children under five.
- Effective case management guidelines are crucial for reducing childhood pneumonia burden.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the National ARI Control Programme guidelines for diagnosing and managing hospitalized children with pneumonia.
- To identify risk factors associated with childhood pneumonia.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study of 100 children aged 2-24 months admitted with pneumonia.
- Diagnosis and treatment followed National ARI Control Programme guidelines.
- Radiological confirmation was assessed, and treatment response was monitored.
Main Results:
- Pneumonia was most prevalent in children under one year of age.
- The National ARI Control Programme guidelines demonstrated high effectiveness, with 89% responding to standard treatment and no deaths.
- Low socioeconomic status, illiteracy, malnutrition, and lack of exclusive breastfeeding were identified as risk factors.
Conclusions:
- The National ARI Control Programme guidelines are simple, effective, and useful for the diagnosis and management of hospitalized children with pneumonia.
- Radiological diagnosis is not essential for managing childhood pneumonia in this setting.
- Addressing socioeconomic factors and promoting exclusive breastfeeding are vital for pneumonia prevention.
Abstract:
From December, 1992 to February, 1993, 100 consecutively admitted children between 2-24 months of age with pneumonia were studied. They were diagnosed and treated according to the National ARI Control Programme case management guidelines. Of the total, 74 were under one year of age. Seventeen children had very severe pneumonia, 77 severe pneumonia and 6 simple pneumonia. Sixty children had radiological evidence of pneumonia, 89 responded to standard recommended treatment and only 11% required a change of therapy. There were no deaths. Only 6 mothers of these 100 children had practiced exclusive breast feeding. Low socioeconomic status, illiteracy and malnutrition were the other risk factors. In this study all types of pneumonia were more common in children under one year of age and radiology did not appear to be essential for its diagnosis. The National ARI Control guidelines for diagnosis and management of hospitalized children are simple, useful and effective.