Abstract

A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS IN PAEDIATRICS AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Dr. Shreeparna*, Dr. Lavina Matai and Dr. HimaBindhu

ABSTRACT

Acute respiratory tract infections (ARI) are infectious condition involving the respiratory tract further classified as an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) which is recognized to be one in all the most causes of morbidity and mortality the least bit age groups, particularly within the children. ARI morbidity is comparable in developed and developing countries. The high morbidity rate makes ARI the most cause for the employment of health services, representing within the entire world 20-40% of the appointments at paediatric services and 12-35% of the hospital admissions. Our aim in choosing this subject is to produce a quick idea regarding the clinical presentation and laboratory profile supported the age in respect to the frequency of the type of respiratory tract infection in pediatrics. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted within the in-patient paediatric department at RVM institute of Medical sciences and center over a period of 6 months. A complete of 100 children data were collected, out of these 52 (52%) were male and 48 (48%) were female. Fever was the foremost common presenting symptom in 74.08% of pediatrics’ followed by dysuria in 54.1%. The amount of subjects being diagnosed with an LRTI were significantly more preponderant in those, but 5 years old (M= 8.89, SD= 9.68, N= 9) than the ones more than 5 years of age (M= 2.89, SD= 3.26, N=9), at t (16) =1.76, p= 0.048 (1 tail). Fever 91% was the foremost common symptom followed by cough (88%), cold/congestion (84%) and poor appetite (64%). Among signs crepitations (66%), wheeze (52%) were predominant, among 42% it shows lymphocytosis. Conclusion: From the results obtained, it had been concluded that acute respiratory tract infections are commonly encountered in children with a small predominance in male subjects, particularly among children but 5years old. Clinical profile suggests fever, cough and congestion being most common symptoms and wheezing, crepitations among signs. Female subjects had a better rate of developing respiratory distress syndrome among male.

Keywords: Clinical Profile, Respiratory tract infections, laboratory data.