Evaluation of juvenile cases hospitalized with the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, radiological, laboratory, and sociodemographic features in children and adolescents who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) at the Pediatric Pulmonology Clinic of Dicle University School of Medicine. The study included 200 patients with the diagnosis of CAP, ages 0–18 years, who were admitted to the Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Emergency Room of the Pediatric Hospital in Dicle University School of Medicine between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2014, and had no history of antibiotic use 48 hours before admission. The results of complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C- reactive protein, serum immunoglobulin, and blood cultures the cases were recorded together with demographic features and clinical presentation. Posterior–anterior (PA) lung graphies of the cases were evaluated. The study population comprised 65.5% (n=131) males and 34.5% (n=69) females. The ageof 97 patients (48.5%) ranged between 2 and 5 years. Parents of 156 patients (78%) were not consanguineous. Vaccinations of 175 patients (87.5%) were completed according to National Immunity Programme of Health Ministry. No history of pneumonia was present in families of 197 patients (98.5%). The number of patients living in the center of the city was 157 (78.5%), and the number of patients living in the country side was 43 (21.5%). Throughout spring 76 patients (38%), throughout winter 73 patients (36.5%), throughout autumn 32 patients (16%), and throughout summer 19 patients (9.5%) were admitted to the hospital. A total of 25 patients had secondary diseases such as Down syndrome in 11 patients (5.5%), neurometabolic disease in 7 patients (3.5%), acyanotic congenital heart disease in 5 patients (2.5%), and hyperthyroidism in 2 patients (1%). PA graphies recorded on admission showed complications such as hilar infiltration in 150 patients (75%), consolidations in 24 patients (12%), diffuse infiltration in 17 patients (8.5%), atelectasia in 9 patients (4.5%), and pleural effusion in 1 patient (1%). Blood cultures were performed for only 25 patients (12.5%), and only 12 of them (48%) had bacterial growth. Among the patients who showed bacterial growth in their blood cultures, 5 cases had Staphylococcus epidermidis, 2 cases had Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 2 cases had S. saprophyticus, and 1 case had S. capitis. In our study, the demographic features, risk factors and clinical presentations of the children hospitalized with CAP diagnosis were evaluated. Key words: Childhood, socio-demographic, community acquired pneumonia.