Point of care lung ultrasonographic findings in patients with clinical diagnosis of severe childhood community acquired pneumonia in the tropics

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed at defining the Lung ultrasonographic (LUS) features of severe Childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in under-5s with clinical pneumonia, as well as the correlation between clinical and ultrasonographic findings. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive study conducted at the Children Emergency Ward of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria over a 1-year period. Children aged 1month to 59 months, with clinical features of severe pneumonia were recruited for the study. LUS was done at the bedside. Ethical approval was obtained for the study. Results: There were 86 children with mean age ± SD of 13.59 ± 15.55 and 50 (58.1%) males. The highest number of patients (56, 65.1%) were in the 1-12-month age group. Ultrasonographic signs of pneumonia were detected in 68 (79.1%) of the children; 55(64%) had consolidation, 29(23.3%) showed florid B-lines and 20 (23.3%) had pleural fluid. Duration of cough, and crackles on auscultation were the only features that showed significant association with the LUS diagnosis of pneumonia. Conclusion: LUS is a good point of care diagnosis of CAP in under-5 children and it can be safely done at the bedside. It is therefore recommended as a first line imaging modality in children with clinical suspicion of CAP in the Tropics.