Recurrent Pneumonia in Children Attending Mukalla City Hospital –Yemen

Abstract

Recurrent pneumonia in children continues to be a major problem for the pediatricians. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence and predisposing causes of recurrent pneumonia (RP) in children. This is a prospective hospital-based study. Children between 2 months and 15 years old who had a history of pneumonia were investigated in order to determine the prevalence and predisposing causes of recurrent pneumonia in children at Mukalla city hospital, Mukalla,Yemen in between January 2014 and December 2016.The result revealed that out of 920 children hospitalized for pneumonia, 80 (8.7%) met the study criteria for RP. Their age ranged from 2 months to 15 years (mean age of 5.3 ±3.8 years) with male preponderance 51 (63.8%) and 29(36.2%) female with (M:F ratio 1.76:1). Underlying illness was identified in (77.5%)of our patients and no predisposing factors could be identified in the remaining (22.5%). The most common causes for RP were aspiration syndromes (20%), bronchial asthma(16.2%), congenital heart disease(CHD) (13.8%), pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) (8.8%), immune deficiency disorders(6.2%), and nutritional rickets(5%). We concluded that approximately 1 in 12 children with pneumonia in our hospital had RP. New strategies and guidelines are required for early diagnosis of underlying causes of recurrent pneumonia in children.