ASSESSMENT OF CASES ADMITTED TO THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT WITH LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical features, laboratory findings, diagnosis and treatments of neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit with a diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI).MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data of neonates hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit of our hospital between 2017 and 2019 with a diagnosis of LRTI was retrospectively obtained from the file records. Demographical features, diagnosis and treatments were analyzed.RESULTS: A total of 57 patients diagnosed with LRTI were included in the study. The mean gestational age of the patients was 36.8 ± 3 weeks and their mean birth weight was 2864 ± 787 g. The 67% (n = 38) of them were term infants and the 33% (n = 19) of them were preterm infants. When the symptoms, examination findings and chest radiographs of the cases were examined at the time of admission, tachypnea, prolonged expiration, and nutritional difficulty in 67% of cases (n = 38), cough in 26% (n = 15) of the cases, fever in 20% (n = 12) of the cases, vomiting in 12% (n = 7) of the cases, apnea in 7% (n = 4)of the cases, and increased aeration in lung imaging in 21% (n = 12) of the cases were detected. Respiratory panel using Polymenase Chain Reaction (PCR) method was investigated in nasopharyngeal swab samples of 61% (n = 35) of the patients, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 57% (n = 20), rhinovirus in 14% (n = 5), and metapneumovirus in 3% (n = 1) of the cases were observed. The 47% of the patients (n = 27) received high-flow oxygen, 26% (n= 15) nasal CPAP, 58% (n=33) antibiotics, 63% (n= 36) inhaler bronchodilator and hypertonic saline treatment.CONCLUSIONS: In accordance with the literature, a high rate of RSV infection was detected in neonates with LRTI in the neonatal intensive care unit of our hospital. Early diagnosis is important to prevent unnecessary use of antibiotics and to prevent nosocomial infections.