BACKGROUND: To study the relationship between socioeconomic factors, nutritional status, evolution and complications in children with pneumonia. METHODS: A prospective, descriptive study on 85 children hospitalized with pneumonia from April 1999 to November 2000. RESULTS: Complications occurred in 31.8% children; of these, 26.6% - respiratory insufficiency, 44% -pleural effusion, 22% -atelectasis. A significant relationship was observed between complications and the female sex (p=0.03; Odds Ratio=2.99 Confidence Interval 95%=1.16 -7.72) but this was not the case with age (p=0.98), maternal age (p=0.24), maternal educational level (p=0.62) and per capita income (p=0.07). No relationship was found between nutritional status and complication evolution, as well as with the other parameters (z score for the Waterlow classification, weight/age, height/age, weight/height and body mass index -p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Risk for complications was 2.99 times higher in the female group; no significant difference was found between the other parameters and complication evolution in children hospitalized with pneumonia.
Pneumonia; Pleural effusion; Atelectasis; Respiratory insufficiency; Malnutrition
