Abstract

SANTORO, ANABELLA; FERREIRA, ESTELA  and  FERRARI, ANA MARíA. Infecciones respiratorias agudas bajas en niños menores de tres años: Referencia a unidades de cuidado intensivo. Arch. Pediatr. Urug. [online]. 2002, vol.73, n.4, pp.196-202. ISSN 1688-1249.

Objective: To describe the population of children under 3 years of age hospitalized for lower acute respiratory tract infection, requiring intensive care and to analyze how this specialized resource is being used. Methods: retrospective and descriptive study of all children under 3 years admitted to intensive care units (ICU) for acute lower respiratory tract infection between January and September 2001. Conditions of the children, cause of the reference to ICU and conditions at discharge to general care services were analyzed. Results: Of the 1753 children under three years of age admitted to a Pediatric Hospital, 233 (13%) were referred to ICU. Average age was 7.5 months, 62 % were boys, 30% were malnourished and 44% had co- morbidity. In 70% viral etiology was suspected or confirmed. Admission to ICU was justified in 90%; 52% required MVA, 94% received antibiotics, 83 % bronchodilators, and 39 % corticosteroids. Nineteen infants died. Average hospital stay from the moment they returned to the general ward to discharge was 7 days; 11  children were discharged directly from the ICU. Conclusions: the establishment of criteria for admission and discharge from ICU of children with acute lower respiratory infections and of new guidelines for the management of this disease will improve the use of hospital resources.

Keywords : RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS; INTENSIVE CARE.

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