Clinical profile of children with pneumonia admitted at KIMS hospital, Bangalore, India: a prospective study

Abstract

Background: In India acute respiratory infections are an important public health problem accounting for 15-30 % of under-five mortality. Early detection, timely intervention, standard management and a proper early referral service can reduce the mortality rate. The objective of this study was to study the sociodemographic and clinical profile of children admitted with pneumonia, to study its relation to the duration of stay at the hospital.Methods: The study was conducted in KIMS hospital, Bangalore from September 2016 to August 2017. Sociodemographic and clinical features of children aged from 2 months to 18 years of age were studied. A total of 92 children who fulfilled the inclusion criteria for community-acquired pneumonia were studied. The patient population comprises mainly of the low-income group from rural areas, urban slums, referred patients from surrounding rural areas, and other centres.Results: A total of 92 children were studied, 52 boys and 40 girls. 45% children were breastfed for <6 months, and 28% were incompletely immunized. Majority of children belonged to lower socioeconomic group. Passive smoking was present in 38 % of the patients and overcrowding was seen in 50% of children studied. There is a significant association between passive smoking, delayed hospital care, and length of stay.Conclusions: Present study concluded that ARI was more common in LES children and incompletely immunised children. And children who got early medical attention i.e. <4 days had a lesser duration of hospital stay i.e. <7 days.