Table 2.
Clinical signs, course, and outcomes of children with ALRI according to age and severity (n = 570)
| Total N (%) | Age category (%) | Case category (%) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–11 months old | 1–5 years old | 6–12 years old | Non-severe cases | Severe cases | Fatal cases | |||
| Total N (%) | 570 | 381 (67) | 178 (31) | 11 (2) | 463 (81) | 107 (19) | 28 (5) | |
| Vital signs | Tachycardia | 208 (36) | 85 (22) | 116 (65) | 7 (64) | 147 (32) | 61 (57) | 18 (64) |
| Heart rate [/m] [IQR] | 140 [122–152] | 140 [128–156] | 132 [120–150] | 120 [120–150] | 135 [120–148] | 160 [140–164] | 160 [140–168] | |
| Tachypnoea | 443 (78) | 280 (73) | 155 (87) | 8 (73) | 344 (74) | 99 (93) | 27 (96) | |
| Respiratory rate [/m] [IQR] | 60 [48–64] | 60 [52–64] | 56 [44–64] | 49 [42–55] | 56 [48–62] | 64 [60–70] | 69 [62–78] | |
| Fever ≥ 38℃ | 232 (41) | 137 (36) | 90 (51) | 5 (45) | 172 (37) | 60 (56) | 19 (68) | |
| Body temperature [℃] [IQR] | 37.8 [37.2–38.3] | 37.8 [37.2–38.3] | 38.0 [37.2–38.7] | 38.0 [37.3–38.5] | 37.8 [37.2–38.3] | 38.0 [37.7–38.8] | 38.7 [37.8–39.0] | |
| Hypoxaemia ≤ 90% | 70 (12) | 47 (12) | 21 (12) | 2 (18) | 0 (0) | 70 (65) | 15 (54) | |
| Oxygen saturation [%] [IQR] | 96 [94–98] | 96 [94–98] | 97 [95–98] | 95 [93–98] | 97 [95–98] | 89 [85–94] | 92 [80–98] | |
| Clinical signs | Chest indrawing | 383 (67) | 260 (68) | 116 (65) | 7 (64) | 290 (63) | 93 (87) | 24 (86) |
| Coarse crackles | 291 (51) | 191 (50) | 95 (53) | 5 (45) | 206 (44) | 85 (79) | 26 (93) | |
| Wheezing | 212 (37) | 145 (38) | 63 (35) | 4 (36) | 160 (35) | 52 (49) | 17 (61) | |
| Rhonchi | 357 (63) | 256 (67) | 99 (56) | 2 (18) | 291 (63) | 66 (62) | 15 (54) | |
| Asymmetry of lung sounds | 18 (3) | 8 (2) | 8 (4) | 2 (18) | 6 (1) | 12 (11) | 5 (18) | |
| Normal lung sounds | 29 (5) | 11 (3) | 17 (10) | 1 (9) | 26 (6) | 3 (3) | 1 (4) | |
| Grunting | 130 (23) | 99 (26) | 30 (17) | 1 (9) | 63 (14) | 67 (63) | 21 (75) | |
| Cyanosis | 65 (11) | 44 (12) | 21 (12) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 65 (61) | 20 (71) | |
| Capillary refill time ≥ 3 s | 50 (9) | 30 (8) | 19 (11) | 1 (9) | 25 (5) | 25 (23) | 11 (39) | |
| Treatment | Antibiotics | 325 (57) | 204 (54) | 114 (64) | 7 (64) | 236 (51) | 89 (83) | 28 (100) |
| 2 or more than 2 drugs | 107 (19) | 71 (19) | 33 (19) | 3 (27) | 64 (14) | 43 (40) | 17 (61) | |
| Anti-viral treatment | 12 (2) | 4 (1) | 7 (4) | 1 (9) | 11 (2) | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | |
| ICU management | 51 (9) | 32 (8) | 18 (10) | 1 (9) | 12 (3) | 39 (36) | 14 (50) | |
| O2 supply | 328 (58) | 232 (61) | 89 (50) | 7 (64) | 231 (50) | 97 (91) | 27 (96) | |
| Mechanical ventilation | 39 (7) | 25 (7) | 13 (7) | 1 (9) | 7 (2) | 32 (30) | 12 (43) | |
| CPAP | 14 (2) | 14 (4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 8 (2) | 6 (6) | 3 (11) | |
| Fluid infusion | 176 (31) | 122 (32) | 48 (27) | 6 (55) | 115 (25) | 61 (57) | 24 (86) | |
| Outcomes | In-hospital mortality | 28 (5) | 18 (5) | 10 (6) | 0 (0) | 8 (2) | 20 (19) | 28 (100) |
| Sequelae | 8 (1) | 5 (1) | 3 (2) | 0 (0) | 5 (1) | 3 (3) | – | |
| Length of hospitalization [day][IQR] | 4.0 [3.0–7.0] | 4.0 [3.0–6.0] | 4.0 [3.0–7.0] | 7.0 [4.0–8.5] | 4.0 [3.0–6.0] | 7.0 [4.0–10.0] | 5.5 [1.0–12.0] | |
All categorical data arere presented as numbers (percentage, %). Continuous data are presented as median (interquartile range)
ALRI acute lower respiratory infection, Total N total number, IQR interquartile range, ICU intensive care unit, CPAP continuous positive airway pressure