Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Paediatrics, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Microbiology, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Practice, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Department of Biomedical Imaging, University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Pediatr Pulmonol, 2020 02;55(2):407-417.
PMID: 31846223 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.24598

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Respiratory tract infections in children can result in respiratory sequelae. We aimed to determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with persistent respiratory sequelae 1 year after admission for a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI).

METHODOLOGY: This prospective cohort study involved children 1 month to 5-years-old admitted with an LRTI. Children with asthma were excluded. Patients were reviewed at 1-, 6-, and 12-months post-hospital discharge. The parent cough-specific quality of life, the depression, anxiety, and stress scale questionnaire and cough diary for 1 month, were administered. Outcomes reviewed were number of unscheduled healthcare visits, respiratory symptoms and final respiratory diagnosis at 6 and/or 12 month-review by pediatric pulmonologists.

RESULTS: Three hundred patients with a mean ± SD age of 14 ± 15 months old were recruited. After 1 month, 239 (79.7%) returned: 28.5% (n = 68/239) had sought medical advice and 18% (n = 43/239) had cough at clinic review. Children who received antibiotics in hospital had significantly lower total cough scores (P = .005) as per the cough diary. After 1 year, 26% (n = 78/300) had a respiratory problem, predominantly preschool wheezing phenotype (n = 64/78, 82.1%). Three children had bronchiectasis or bronchiolitis obliterans. The parent cough-specific quality of life (PCQOL) was significantly lower in children with respiratory sequelae (P 

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.