A Descriptive Study on Pneumonia and its Clinical Importance in Paediatric Age Group Patients

Abstract

Pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality of under-five children in various developing countries, including India. This was a study of community acquired pneumonia(CAP)conducted on 100 children in the age group of 1 month to 12 years, with clinical features of tachypnoea with fever and cough as per WHO criteria who got admitted under paediatrics department of Madha Medical College and Research Institute, Chennai during February 2023 to May 2024.Objectives of our study were to study the clinical and bacteriological profile of children admitted with CAP and to determine sensitivity and resistance patterns to various antibiotics to these organisms. Study showed that 71% of the children belonged to the age group of 1month-12months, male to female ratio was 1.22:1. Rapid breathing (100%), cough (100%) and fever (100%) were the most common symptoms. Refusal of feeds was present in 28% cases. Tachypnoea (100%), chest retractions (87%) and crepitations (82%) were the most common signs.65% were breast-fed and 35% were given bottle feeds. In our study, 68% of patients were malnourished which includes severe acute malnutrition (33%) and moderate acute malnutrition (16%) in the age group of 6 months to 5 years of age and other 19% undernourished children of more than 5 years of age and infant of 1 month to 6 months of age. Anemia was present in 55%. The conclusion from this study is that incidence of CAP is more common in the infant age group, children who are anaemic, malnourished and have inadequate vaccination coverage. The sensitivity and resistance pattern of antibiotics for isolated organism observed in this study can be used to formulate the antibiotic policy in children with community acquired pneumonia in the study hospital.