The Underlying Causes of Recurrent Pneumonia in Children: A Two-Center Study
Amany Nagy Barakat *
Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
Mahitab Morsy Hussein
Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Giza, Egypt.
Eman Mahmoud Fouda
Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Giza, Egypt.
Amr Mohamed Zoair
Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
Ahmed Mohamed Abd El-Razek
Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: Recurrent pneumonia is a challenge for pediatric pulmonologists. There are limited data on the underlying causes of recurrent pneumonia in children in the developing countries.
Aim: To identify the underlying causes of recurrent pneumonia in children with undiagnosed etiology.
Patients and Methods: The study was conducted in Pulmonology Units, Pediatric Departments Tanta and Ain-Shams Universities Hospitals from 2017 to 2019. Fifty-six cases children with a diagnosis of recurrent pneumonia were included to identify the etiologies. The underlying causes were confirmed in each case according to the clinical features and the diagnostic tests.
Results: Uncontrolled bronchial asthma was the commonest cause of recurrent pneumonia (23.2%), followed by congenital heart diseases (12.5%) and aspiration syndromes (12.5%).
Conclusion: Uncontrolled bronchial asthma was the most common underlying cause of recurrent pneumonia in children, so early diagnosis and proper controller therapy may decrease the risk of occurrence of recurrent pneumonia.
Keywords: Recurrent pneumonia, asthma, diagnosis, children