Characteristics of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Hospitalized Lebanese Children and their Correlation

Abstract

Aim To study the radiological findings of community acquired pneumonia in correlation with clinical signs and symptoms as well as laboratory findings in children and adolescents hospitalized Material and methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children who were hospitalized for community acquired pneumonia A descriptive study was followed by a correlation study of patients rsquo clinical signs and symptoms physical examination and laboratory studies with the patients rsquo radiologic finding Results We reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients who met criteria The most common symptoms were cough and fever Crackles heard and focal infiltrate were the most common findings on physical exam and radiologic imaging respectively Among the laboratory studies performed only C reactive protein was found to be elevated with prolonged duration of symptoms p lt With the exception of abdominal pain p there were no significant differences relating patient symptoms with radiologic findings Conclusion In this study no clinical or laboratory finding could be sufficient for the diagnosis and therapeutic decision as found in previous studies Newer laboratory tests and etiologic search methods should be made available until then a high clinical index of suspicion is useful in our developing country Aim To study the radiological findings of community acquired pneumonia in correlation with clinical signs and symptoms as well as laboratory findings in children and adolescents hospitalized Material and methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children who were hospitalized for community acquired pneumonia A descriptive study was followed by a correlation study of patients rsquo clinical signs and symptoms physical examination and laboratory studies with the patients rsquo radiologic finding Results We reviewed the medical records of pediatric patients who met criteria The most common symptoms were cough and fever Crackles heard and focal infiltrate were the most common findings on physical exam and radiologic imaging respectively Among the laboratory studies performed only C reactive protein was found to be elevated with prolonged duration of symptoms p lt With the exception of abdominal pain p there were no significant differences relating patient symptoms with radiologic findings Conclusion In this study no clinical or laboratory finding could be sufficient for the diagnosis and therapeutic decision as found in previous studies Newer laboratory tests and etiologic search methods should be made available until then a high clinical index of suspicion is useful in our developing country