Effect of vitamin A supplementation on diarrhoea and acute lower-respiratory-tract infection in young children in Brazil

AbstractViral lower respiratory tract infection (VLRTI) is the most common cause of hospital admission among small children in high-income countries. Guidelines to identify children in need of admission are lacking in the literature. In December 2012, our hospital introduced strict guidelines for admission. This study aims to retrospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of the guidelines. We performed a single-center retrospective administrative database search and medical record review. ICD-10 codes identified children < 24 months assessed at the emergency department for VLRTI for a 10-year period. To identify adverse events related to admission guidelines implementation, we reviewed patient records for all those discharged on primary contact followed by readmission within 14 days. During the study period, 3227 children younger than 24 months old were assessed in the ED for VLRTI. The proportion of severe adverse events among children who were discharged on their initial emergency department contact was low both before (0.3%) and after the intervention (0.5%) (p=1.0). Admission rates before vs. after the intervention were for previously healthy children > 90 days 65.3% vs. 53.3% (p<0.001); for healthy children ≤ 90 days 85% vs. 68% (p<0.001); and for high-risk comorbidities 74% vs. 71% (p=0.5).Conclusion: After implementation of admission guidelines for VLRTI, there were few adverse events and a significant reduction in admissions to the hospital from the emergency department. Our admission guidelines may be a safe and helpful tool in the assessment of children with VLRTI. What is Known:• Viral lower respiratory tract infection, including bronchiolitis, is the most common cause of hospitalization for young children in the developed world. Treatment is mainly supportive, and hospitalization should be limited to the cases in need of therapeutic intervention.• Many countries have guidelines for the management of the disease, but the decision on whom to admit for inpatient treatment is often subjective and may vary even between physicians in the same hospital. What is New:• Implementation of admission criteria for viral lower respiratory tract infection may reduce the rate of hospital admissions without increasing adverse events.

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Lower Respiratory Tract Infection and Genus Enterovirus in Children Requiring Intensive Care: Clinical Manifestations and Impact of Viral Co-Infections

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13102059 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 2059

Author(s):

Daniel Penela-Sánchez ◽

Jon González-de-Audicana ◽

Georgina Armero ◽

Desiree Henares ◽

Cristina Esteva ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Intensive Care ◽

Tract Infection ◽

Young Children ◽

Respiratory Tract ◽

Respiratory Tract Infection ◽

Lower Respiratory Tract Infection ◽

Lower Respiratory Tract ◽

Invasive Mechanical Ventilation ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Clinical Severity

Infection by rhinovirus (RV) and enterovirus (EV) in children ranges from asymptomatic infection to severe lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). This cohort study evaluates the clinical impact of RV/EV species, alone or in codetection with other viruses, in young children with severe LRTI. Seventy-one patients aged less than 5 years and admitted to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of a reference children’s hospital with RV or EV (RV/EV) LRTI were prospectively included from 1/2018 to 3/2020. A commercial PCR assay for multiple respiratory pathogens was performed in respiratory specimens. In 22/71, RV/EV + respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was found, and 18/71 had RV/EV + multiple viral detections. Patients with single RV/EV detection required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) as frequently as those with RSV codetection, whereas none of those with multiple viral codetections required IMV. Species were determined in 60 samples, 58 being RV. No EV-A, EV-C, or EV-D68 were detected. RV-B and EV-B were only found in patients with other respiratory virus codetections. There were not any associations between RV/EV species and severity outcomes. To conclude, RV/EV detection alone was observed in young children with severe disease, while multiple viral codetections may result in reduced clinical severity. Differences in pathogenicity between RV and EV species could not be drawn.

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