Frequency of Wheezing Among Preschool Children Presenting to the Emergency Department: Single Centre Study

Abstract

Abstract Background Preschool wheeze (PSW) is a serious clinical problem which, while typically mild, can present within a wide spectrum of severity and is associated with considerable healthcare costs. Therefore, we were motivated to investigate the frequency rate of PSW among the children presenting to emergency department (ED) of a primary care General Pediatric Hospital, ni Suez, Egypt, over a period of one year. Patients and Methods A Cross sectional study was conducted from May 2019 to April 2020 in the ED of Suez General Hospital. Patients aged from 1 to 5 years, presenting with preschool wheezes were recruited with detailed description of the episodes concerning severity on presentation, seasonal variations and response to treatment. Results Out of 3720 infants and children presenting to the ER over the study period, 302 (8.1%) patients had SW, 187(61.9%) males and 115 (38.1%) females with mean age of 2.65 ‡ 1.21 years. Over the study period, frequency of PSW presentation was more during winter (38.5%) and fall (28.1%). Around 33 % of PSW patients had associated allergic rhinitis (32.8%), while family history of allergy was positive in 29.1%. Flare ups severity was determined at time of enrollment and showed that 60.9% were mild, 30.5% moderate, 7% severe and 1.7% were life threatening exacerbations. Conclusion PSW is common among Egyptian children with frequency approaching international numbers. Wider scale longitudinal studies are needed to estimate the frequency and severity of PSW and the risk of future asthma.