No abstract available.
Diagnosis ; Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections*

Acute Disease ; Humans ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology ; microbiology ; virology

Cough is one of the common symptoms, which is usually related to respiratory infections for children. This symptom is not considered crucial. Published data reported that the community prevalence of chronic cough in primary school children is 5%-10%, while the prevalence is likely to be higher in younger children. The cause of persistent cough should be investigated. There were significant differences in the causes and management for cough according to age. Chronic cough is defined as duration of 4 weeks or longer. Common culprits for chronic cough in children are different from those in adults. The authors reviewed articles about chronic cough of children to help improve the understanding and management for pediatric chronic cough.
Adult ; Child* ; Cough* ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Prevalence ; Respiratory Tract Infections

Due to the wide variety of pathogens causing respiratory tract infection and the close symptoms, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) needs to be differentiated from other common infections. Early comprehensive detection and accurate identification of respiratory infection pathogens is of great value for early diagnosis, curative effect, as well as monitor of the diseases. Combined detection of multiple pathogens can quickly and accurately detect and distinguish the pathogens, then provide rapid and reliable laboratory diagnostic basis for further treatment. This article elaborates the application and development of multiplex detection assay in the diagnosis of COVID-19 according to the recent research.
Humans ; COVID-19/diagnosis* ; Respiratory Tract Infections/therapy* ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the influencing factors for asthma management and asthma control level in children. METHODS: A total of 202 children with a confirmed diagnosis of asthma were enrolled. The questionnaire of asthma control level and family management was used to investigate the influencing factors for asthma control level and the indicators of family management. The awareness of childhood asthma and its management was analyzed among the parents, as well as the influence on asthma control level in children, and the association between them was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the non-complete control group, the complete control group had significantly longer course of asthma and treatment time (P<0.05). The proportions of asthma attacks ≥3 times and aerosol treatment for asthma attacks >3 times in one year in the complete control group were significantly lower than those in the non-complete control group (P<0.05). The complete control group had a significantly lower proportion of children with frequent respiratory infection, wheezing during respiratory infection, or a family history of allergic diseases (P<0.05). The parents in the complete control group had significantly stronger awareness of short-term escalation to asthma medication after respiratory infection and significantly enhanced management of maintenance medication (P<0.05). Compared with the complete control group, the non-complete control group had a significantly higher proportion of children with abnormal pulmonary function at the initial stage (P<0.05). The level of asthma control in children was associated with short-term escalation to asthma medication during respiratory infection and initial lung function (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The level of asthma control in children is closely associated with the severity of asthma and the comprehensive management of childhood asthma. Early treatment and family management, especially escalation to asthma medication during the early stage of respiratory infection, are of great importance in asthma control. Citation:Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, 2023, 25(1): 73-79.
Child ; Humans ; Asthma/diagnosis* ; Hypersensitivity/diagnosis* ; Lung ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Parents ; Respiratory Sounds

Bocavirus ; isolation & purification ; Child, Preschool ; Humans ; Infant ; Parvoviridae Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology

BACKGROUND: Severe neutropenia is defined as an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 0.5×109/L, which is known to increase the risk of serious bacterial infections. The aim of this study was to investigate characteristics, etiology and differences between transient and chronic severe neutropenia in children.METHODS: 204 children, who were diagnosed with severe neutropenia at the Ajou University Hospital during a 5-year period, were included in the study. Clinical and laboratory features were analyzed. The patients were classified as having transient severe neutropenia (TSN) if recovery occurred within 6 months of diagnosis, and chronic severe neutropenia (CSN) if the neutropenia persisted for 6 months or more.RESULTS: 184 (90.2%) patients with TSN and 20 (9.8%) patients with CSN were identified. Most of the TSN occurred in patients less than 2 year of age (75.5%) and rarely occurred in patients 5 years or older (5.4%). The most common cause of TSN was infection-related neutropenia (82.6%), and most of the associated infections were respiratory infections (44.6%). Compared to TSN, CSN patients were younger at diagnosis (1.00 vs. 0.71, P < 0.001), had a lower ANC at diagnosis (364.8 vs. 214.9, P < 0.001), lower ANC at nadir (356.0 vs. 50.0, P < 0.001), and higher platelet count (188×10⁹ vs. 308×10⁹, P < 0.001), monocyte count (491.5×10⁶ vs. 832.9×10⁶, P=0.010) and CRP (0.22 vs. 0.85, P=0.036).CONCLUSION: Most of the severe neutropenia occurred in children younger than 2 years of age, and virus infection was the most common cause of TSN.
Bacterial Infections ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Monocytes ; Neutropenia ; Neutrophils ; Platelet Count ; Respiratory Tract Infections

PURPOSE:This study was performed to examine seasonal occurrences of respiratory viruses and detect viral etiologic agents, by multiplex RT-PCR in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI). METHODS:Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) were collected from 654 hospitalized children with ALRI on admission at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital and analysed by multiplex RT-PCR between January 2005 and December 2005. RESULTS:Viral agents were detected from 234 subjects (35.8%). The identified viral pathogens were respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (34.2%), adenovirus (33.8%), parainfluenza virus (21.8%), influenza virus type A (8.1%) and influenza virus type B (2.1%). Viral ALRI occurred most frenquently during the 1st year of life. Clinical diagnoses of viral ALRI included pneumonia (72.2%), bronchiolitis (14.5%), tracheobronchitis (9.8%) and croup (3.5%). The most common cause of bronchiolitis was RSV. Common clinical symptoms and signs of viral ALRI were cough (93.4%), fever (78.2%), rhinorrhea (72.5%), rale (60.2%), and wheezing (26.2%). CONCLUSION:Viral agents were detected by multiplex RT-PCR in 35.8% of NPA obtained from 654 hospitalized patients with acute respiratory tract infections. Multiplex RT-PCR may be useful for detecting virus in children.
Adenoviridae ; Bronchiolitis ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Cough ; Croup ; Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Seasons

PURPOSE:This study was performed to examine seasonal occurrences of respiratory viruses and detect viral etiologic agents, by multiplex RT-PCR in children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRI). METHODS:Nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) were collected from 654 hospitalized children with ALRI on admission at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital and analysed by multiplex RT-PCR between January 2005 and December 2005. RESULTS:Viral agents were detected from 234 subjects (35.8%). The identified viral pathogens were respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (34.2%), adenovirus (33.8%), parainfluenza virus (21.8%), influenza virus type A (8.1%) and influenza virus type B (2.1%). Viral ALRI occurred most frenquently during the 1st year of life. Clinical diagnoses of viral ALRI included pneumonia (72.2%), bronchiolitis (14.5%), tracheobronchitis (9.8%) and croup (3.5%). The most common cause of bronchiolitis was RSV. Common clinical symptoms and signs of viral ALRI were cough (93.4%), fever (78.2%), rhinorrhea (72.5%), rale (60.2%), and wheezing (26.2%). CONCLUSION:Viral agents were detected by multiplex RT-PCR in 35.8% of NPA obtained from 654 hospitalized patients with acute respiratory tract infections. Multiplex RT-PCR may be useful for detecting virus in children.
Adenoviridae ; Bronchiolitis ; Child ; Child, Hospitalized ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Cough ; Croup ; Diagnosis ; Fever ; Humans ; Orthomyxoviridae ; Paramyxoviridae Infections ; Pneumonia ; Respiratory Sounds ; Respiratory Syncytial Viruses ; Respiratory System* ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the value of C-reactive protein (CRP) to diagnostic test in elderly patients with infections.

METHODSC-reactive protein were investigated in 142 elderly patients with infections and 216 elderly patients without. CRP 7 - 20, 21 - 40 and 41 - 60 mg/L were stratified, the index of diagnostic test counted.

RESULTSConcentrations of CRP in patients with different diseases were upper respiratory tract infection 36.9 mg/L +/- 28.9 mg/L, acute bronchitis 30.1 mg/L +/- 28.1 mg/L, pneumonia 55.9 mg/L +/- 32.9 mg/L, urinary infection 49.0 mg/L +/- 27.6 mg/L and enteritis 39.3 mg/L +/- 35.6 mg/L. They were all higher than those in control group (5.2 mg/L +/- 2.9 mg/L, P < 0.001). Stratified analysis disclosed that the specificity of CRP was 83.3% - 99.0% for diagnostic infection disease. The positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 7 - 20, 21 - 40 and 41 - 60 mg/L were 3.6, 27.0 and 128.0, respectively.

CONCLUSIONC-reactive protein was an important marker to diagnose elderly patients with infections.

Aged ; Biomarkers ; analysis ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Diagnostic Tests, Routine ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pneumonia ; diagnosis ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; diagnosis ; Urinary Tract Infections ; diagnosis