Accuracy of the interpretation of chest radiographs for the diagnosis of paediatric pneumonia.

Introduction: World Health Organization (WHO) radiological classification remains an important entry criterion in epidemiological studies of pneumonia in children. We report inter-observer variability in the interpretation of 169 chest radiographs in children suspected of having pneumonia.

Methods: An 18-month prospective aetiological study of pneumonia was undertaken in Northern England.

Utility of inflammatory markers in predicting the aetiology of pneumonia in children.

We aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of applying cut-off levels of inflammatory markers and to develop a prediction model for differentiation between bacterial and viral infections in paediatric community-acquired pneumonia based on C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil, and white cell counts (WCC). Amongst 401 children, those with bacterial pneumonia were older than those with viral pneumonia (P<0.001).

Risk factors for the development of pleural empyema in children.

Pediatric pleural empyema has increased substantially over the past 20 years and reasons for this rise remain not fully explained. We investigated potential risk factors for the development of empyema in children by examining a cohort of patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic characteristics, use of Ibuprofen prior to presentation and selected potential epidemiological risk factors were analyzed.

Changing clinical practice: management of paediatric community-acquired pneumonia.

Rationale And Aim: To compare clinical features and management of paediatric community-acquired pneumonia (PCAP) following the publication of UK pneumonia guidelines in 2002 with data from a similar survey at the same hospitals in 2001-2002 (pre-guidelines).

Methods: A prospective survey of 11 hospitals in Northern England was undertaken during 2008-2009. Clinical and laboratory data were recorded on children aged ≤16 years who presented with clinical and radiological features of pneumonia.

Aetiology of paediatric pneumonia after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

We describe the aetiology of community-acquired pneumonia in children before and after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV) programme in 2006. Prospective studies were conducted in 2001-2002 (pre-vaccine) and 2009-2011 (post-vaccine) of children aged 0-16 years with radiologically confirmed pneumonia seen in hospital. Investigations included culture, serology, immunofluorescence antibody and urine antigen testing, with an increased use of PCR assays and expanded panels of pathogens in the post-vaccine study.

Pneumococcal diagnosis and serotypes in childhood community-acquired pneumonia.

The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced routinely in the UK from September 2006 and replaced by PCV13 in 2010. In a prospective study from 2009 to 2011 of 160 children aged ≤16 years with radiologically confirmed pneumonia, likely pneumococcal infections were identified in 26%. Detection of pneumococci was improved with polymerase chain reaction compared to culture (21.

Emergence of pneumococcal 19A empyema in UK children.

Introduction: Invasive pneumococcal disease due to serotype 19A has become a major concern, particularly in the USA and Asia. We describe the characteristics of pneumococcal serotype 19A related empyema and changes in its incidence in the UK.

Methods: Data from paediatric empyema patients between September 2006 and March 2011 were collected from 17 respiratory centres in the UK.

Characteristics of hearing impairment in Yemeni children with chronic suppurative otitis media: a case-control study.

Background: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is a serious disorder particularly in low resource settings. It can lead to disabling hearing impairment and sometimes life-threatening infective complications.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to describe the characteristics of hearing impairment associated with CSOM in Yemeni children.