Risk Factors for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection and Recurrent Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in Children

INTRODUCTION: A survey was administered to the families of children hospitalized due to lower respiratory tract infections in winter. Risk factors that may cause non-recurrent LRTI and recurrent LRTI in hospitalized children were compared.
METHODS: Survey questions were asked to the families of pediatric patients who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of LRTI in the training and research hospital during the winter period and did not have a known chronic disease. Patients were divided into two groups: children hospitalized due to recurrent LRTI and non-recurrent LRTI (first hospitalization). Factors that may cause LRTI were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS: 47 of 77 patients (61%) were male. There were 43 (55.8%) patients between 1 and 6 months. There were 25 (32.5%) patients living in crowded houses. The number of patients exposed to cigarette smoke was 61 (79.2%). 28 (36.4%) of the patients lived in a damp house. Five of the six patients with a history of premature birth had been recurrently hospitalized (p= 0.013). Among those with a family history of atopy, 80.6% had non-recurrent LRTI and 19.4% had recurrent LRTI (p=0.004). There was a positive relationship between household population and the number of smokers.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Risk factors for LRTI include young age, male gender, atopic family history, low socioeconomic level, exposure to cigarette smoke and premature birth. History of premature birth, young age, and atopic family history are risk factors for recurrent LRTI.