Assessment of pneumonia and its association with the hyponatremia an observational study

Abstract

Background: To assess pneumonia and its association with thehyponatremia.Material and methods:A prospective evaluation study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, Netaji Subhas Medical College and Hospital,Patna, Bihar India fromOct 2019 to March 2020.Total 100 children of aged 0-5 years identified with the pneumonia were enrolled in the present study. The diagnosis of bronchiolitis was made by the primary critical care physician at time of admission on the basis of clinical signs of tachypnea, hypoxia, rhinorrhoea, cough, wheeze, subcostal or intercostal retractions, nasal flaring, and grunting. Venous blood samples were obtained and analysed for serum sodium by flame photometry. Result: Total 100 patient were included in this study .The mean Body temperature 37.74⁰C, WBC count (x 10³/L) 12114.00 ± 5496.26 and CRP 52 (52%)> 10mg/l were present. Maximum number of children (45%) belonged to below 1 year while the least number of children(25%) belonged toagegroupbetween3to5years. femaletomaleratiowas 1.5:1withfairlylargenumberinvolving femalechildi.e.60%. Clinical assessment was done prior to investigation. The clinical parameters that distinguished the grading of pneumonia were done. Cough was present in 53% of studied children while fever was present almost invariably i.e. 82%. There were more children presenting with chest pain (22%). The complaint of nasal congestion was present in 39%. Clinical diagnosis revealed majority of children with severe pneumonia (52%) followed by very severe pneumonia (10%) followed by pneumonia (38%).Frequency of hyponatremia with pneumonia was 44 %and 56 % patients without hyponatremia.Conclusion:hyponatremia is common among children hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infections. Thus, serum electrolytes should be measured in children hospitalized for lower respiratory infections; and serum sodium concentration should be monitored regularly.

Keywords: pneumonia, hyponatremia, sodium level, childrens