CLINICAL, RADIOLOGICAL, AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS OF CHILDREN

Aim: In this study, we aimed to determine the etiology of lower respiratory tract infection in patients aged 1 month to 5 years with a clinical, radiological, and epidemiological study. Materials and method: We investigated 150 patients between 1 month to 5 years of age who required hospitalization and those who were admitted to pediatrics clinics and pediatric emergency services of Ankara Training and Research Hospital who had the clinical diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection and 50 patients who had no pathological physical examination findings. Blood samples for acute phase reactants and nasopharyngeal swap samples for detection of bacterial etiologies were taken. Initial posteroanterior chest X-rays of all patients were checked. Results: The most common pathogens were Streptococcus pneumoniae in 77 (51.3%) and Haemophilus influenzae in 71 (% 47.3) patients. Three groups of patients compared with C-reactive protein values; patients with alveolar pneumonia were statistically higher than those with normal radiography and interstitial infiltrates (P= 0.012, P= 0.008). Erythrocyte sedimentation rates in patients with alveolar pneumonia were statistically significantly higher than the patients with interstitial infiltrates and normal radiology (P = 0.015, P= 0.016). Conclusion: In patients suspected of lower respiratory tract infection, the beginning of appropriate antibiotic treatment should be supported with clinical, radiological, and laboratory tests. We think laboratory tests of acute phase reactants should be used with multiplex PCR to detect viral and bacterial agents. Still, to deal with this issue, advanced studies are needed.