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. 2022 May 23:2022:1311936.
doi: 10.1155/2022/1311936. eCollection 2022.

C-Reactive Protein Levels in Children with Acute Bronchiolitis

Hasan M Isa  1 , Abdulrahman D Mohroofi  2 , Fatema N Alkhan  3 , Asma Z Hasan  4 , Mariam M Alkubisi  5 , Sana S Alhewaizem  6 , Sara I Khalifa  3 , Noora G Alromaihi  7
Affiliations

C-Reactive Protein Levels in Children with Acute Bronchiolitis

Hasan M Isa et al. Int J Pediatr. .

Abstract

Results: Of 287 patients, 229 (79.2%) were included. 132 (57.6%) were males. Median presentation age was 3.7 (interquartile range (IQR), 1.27-12.33) months. Median CRP level was 10.4 (IQR, 2.8-35.1) mg/L. CRP was high in 167 (72.9%) patients. 17.6% (33/187 patients) had confirmed bacterial coinfection. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was detected in 84 (36.7%) patients. Mean CRP level was higher in RSV-negative compared to RSV-positive patients, 31.3 ± 44.3 versus 21.5 ± 27.7 mg/L, respectively (P = 0.042). Respiratory viral serology profile was positive in 34.7% (17/49 patients). 66.9% (107/160 patients) had positive chest X-ray. Antibiotics were used in 78.1% (179/227 patients). Thirteen (5.7%) patients required intensive care, five (2.2%) had surgical intervention, four (1.8%) required endotracheal intubation, and four (1.8%) died. Patients with high CRP were older at presentation (P < 0.0001) and had more fever (P < 0.0001) and cough (P = 0.002), but lower hemoglobin level (P < 0.0001) compared to those with normal CRP. Fever (P = 0.016) and hemoglobin level (P = 0.002) were independent factors.

Conclusion: Most children with acute bronchiolitis had high rate of elevated CRP values that did not correlate with the rate of bacterial coinfection. High CRP levels were found in older children, those presented with more fever and cough, and had a lower hemoglobin level despite that those factors were previously reported to be associated with disease severity and bacterial coinfection. This study also showed a high overall rate of antibiotic prescriptions in mostly viral disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Clinical presentations of 229 patients admitted with acute bronchiolitis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Respiratory viral serology profile of children presented with acute bronchiolitis (17 out 49 tested children were positive, and 10 of them tested positive for more than one virus). RSV: respiratory syncytial virus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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