Serum C-reactive protein levels in severe and very severe pneumonia in children
Abstract
Background Pneumonia is a major cause of death in children from
developing countries. It is difficult to assess pneumonia severity if
clinical symptoms of pneumonia are unclear, co-morbidities occur
simultaneously, or there is an absence of consolidation or infiltrates
on chest radiograph. Examination of C-reactive protein (CRP)
levels can help to determine the severity of pneumonia.
Objective To compare serum CRP levels in severe and very severe
pneumonia cases.
Methods This was a cross-sectional study on pediatric patients
aged> 28 days up to 60 months v.ith a diagnosis of severe or very
severe pneumonia. Subjects were hospitalized at the Department
of Child Health, Udayana University Medical SchooliSanglah
Hospital, Denpasar from May 2010 to January 2011. There were
30 subjects in each group, severe or very severe pneumonia. Data
were analyzed using Mann-Whitney and ANCOVA tests with
statistical significance set at P < 0.05.
Results There were significant differences in median serum CRP
levels in the severe and very severe pneumonia groups. The very
severe pneumonia group had a median CRP level of 54.75 mgiL
(lQrange 0.22 to 216.00) and the severe pneumonia group had a
median CRP level ofl6.06 mgiL (IQ range 0.97 to 89.35). Serum
CRP levels were influenced by the severity of pneumonia (P =
0.002) and the timing of the CRP examination (P = 0.001).
Conclusion Subjects with very severe pneumonia had
significantly higher median CRP level compared to that of subjects
with severe pneumonia. [Paediatr Indones. 2012;52:161A].
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Accepted 2016-08-30
Published 2012-06-30
