Risk factors for mortality among admitted children with complications of measles in Pakistan: An observational study.

Objective: To identify the vaccination status and risk factors for mortality in children admitted with complications of measles.

Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at Children Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised data of children admitted with complications of measles between 2013 and 2017. Information on vaccination history, complications of measles, anthropometry, hospital stay and outcome within 15 days of admission was retrieved from hospital records. Data was analysed using Stata 14.

Results: Of the 307 children admitted, 79(26%) were aged <9 months and were excluded. Of the remaining 228 subjects, 109(47.8) were unvaccinated. Risk factors significantly associated with mortality were an unvaccinated state of measles vaccine, being stunted, and encephalitis in comparison with pneumonia (p<0.05). A total of 39(17%) children died within 15 days of admission.

Conclusions: Encephalitis, non-vaccination and under-nutrition were significantly associated with mortality in children with complications of measles.