TITLE:
Epidemiological, Clinical and Therapeutic Aspects of Acute Respiratory Distress in Children in Medical Emergencies at the Bangui Pediatric University Hospital
AUTHORS:
Simplice Cyriaque Kango, Marie Christine Awa Sepou Yanza, Jess Elio Kosh Komba, Mireille Mandé-Njapou, Jean Chrysostome Gody
KEYWORDS:
Respiratory Distress, Medical Emergencies, Pediatric University Hospital, Bangui
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.15 No.1,
January
22,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Respiratory distress is a clinical condition accompanied by an increase in work of breathing, with the respiratory accessory muscles brought into play to ensure normal arterial oxygenation. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatrics. The aim of our study was to investigate the epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of respiratory distress in children aged between 1 month and 15 years seen in the emergency department of the Bangui paediatric university hospital. Methodology: This was a 3-month descriptive cross-sectional study, from January 1 to March 31, 2023. All children aged 1 month to less than 15 years presenting with respiratory distress were included. Results: A total of 3021 children were admitted to the emergency medical services of Bangui’s pediatric university hospital. Of these, 164 were included in the study. The predominance was male, with a sex ratio of 1.09. The 0 - 2 age group was the most represented, with 67 patients (42.85%). The majority of patients came from Bangui, accounting for 146 (89.02%) of cases. Respiratory difficulty (59.15%), characterized by dyspnea and cough, associated with fever, vomiting, physical asthenia and diarrhea, were the main reasons for consultation. The main pathologies noted were respiratory 92 (56.10%), followed by cardiac pathologies 21 (12.8%). Antibiotic administration (76.82%) was the most common therapeutic procedure used in the management of respiratory distress. Conclusion: Respiratory distress remains an important cause of infant mortality in our context, with major management problems.