Correlation between total leukocyte count (TLC) and c-reactive protein (CRP) in paediatric bronchiolitis patients

Abstract

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between Total Leukocyte Count (TLC) and C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels in paediatric bronchiolitis patients to assess the prognostic significance of these markers in disease severity and patient outcomes. Study Design: A retrospective correlational study was conducted using patient records from a six-month period to analyze the relationship between TLC and CRP levels in paediatric bronchiolitis patients. Study Setting: The study was conducted at different centres including Department of Paediatrics, Social Security MNCH Hospital, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab and Sahara Medical College Narowal, Punjab in the period from August, 2022 to January, 2023. Methods: Data of paediatric patients aged 1 month to 2 years diagnosed with bronchiolitis was extracted from electronic medical records. The study included patients with complete data on TLC and CRP levels. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between TLC and CRP levels, while logistic regression analysis was performed to identify potential predictors of disease severity. Results: The study found a significant positive correlation between TLC and CRP levels in paediatric bronchiolitis patients (p<0.05). Higher TLC and CRP levels were associated with increased disease severity and longer hospital stay.