Risk factors for mortality among children hospitalized because of acute respiratory infections in Bangui, Central African Republic.
BACKGROUND
Acute respiratory infections are the most common cause of death in children in developing countries. Little information is available on risk factors for mortality among African children presenting with symptoms compatible with acute respiratory infections.


OBJECTIVE
To identify risk factors for death among children hospitalized for respiratory complaints who satisfy the WHO clinical definition for pneumonia or severe pneumonia.


METHODS
Children <5 years of age who presented with cough and/or difficult breathing and were hospitalized in Bangui during a 1-year period were investigated for risk factors for mortality. The study population consisted of 395 children who satisfied the WHO clinical definition for pneumonia/severe pneumonia. The associations between death and demographic, nutritional, socioeconomic, laboratory and clinical variables were examined.


RESULTS
Of the 49 (12.4%) children who died, all but one had had indrawing of the chest which, in univariate analysis, was the risk factor most strongly associated with death [odds ratio, 22.99; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.81 to 935.2]. In a multivariate model the independent risk factors for death were indrawing of the chest [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 8.35, CI 1.04 to 66.82], hepatomegaly (AOR 6.72, CI 2.35 to 19.21), age between 2 and 11 months (AOR 6.37, CI 2.18 to 18.59), grunting (AOR 4.53, CI 1.96 to 10.45), a moderate/severe alteration of general status (AOR 3.23, CI 1.17 to 8.94) and acute malnutrition (AOR 2.74, CI 0.96 to 7.78).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings could be used in flow charts for the management of children with respiratory complaints to identify children at increased risk of death who need to receive aggressive therapy.
Demers
A M
AM
Centre for International Health and Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
Morency
P
P
Mberyo-Yaah
F
F
Jaffar
S
S
Blais
C
C
Somsé
P
P
Bobossi
G
G
Pépin
J
J
D000208:Acute Disease; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002488:Central African Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D003371:Cough / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality*; D011859:Radiography; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000401:mortality; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate