TITLE:
Epidemiological, Diagnostic, Therapeutic, and Prognostic Profile of Non-Tuberculous Community-Acquired Purulent Pleurisy in Children at the Bouaké University Hospital Center, 2017-2021
AUTHORS:
Yapo Thomas Aba, Christian Yao, Pacôme Monemo, Richard Azagoh-Kouadio, Iburaima Akandji, Noelle Gonné, Jean-Marie Karidioula, Vincent Achi, Vincent Kouadio Asse
KEYWORDS:
Community-Acquired Purulent Pleurisies, Children, Mortality, Bouaké
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Infectious Diseases,
Vol.14 No.1,
March
27,
2024
ABSTRACT: Introduction: In Côte d’Ivoire, there is a scarcity of data on children’s purulent pleurisies. Objective: This study aims to elucidate the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic, and evolutionary facets of non-tuberculous purulent pleurisies in pediatric patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the medical records of children aged one month to fifteen years with purulent pleurisies at Bouaké University Hospital Center from January 2017 to December 2021. Results: The study identified 124 cases of purulent pleurisies, constituting 18% of lower respiratory tract infections and 0.8% of all hospitalizations. The majority of these cases (69%) were in children between 1 and 24 months of age. Prominent symptoms included dyspnea (85.5%), O2 saturation below 95% in room air (76.6%), respiratory distress (68.5%), cutaneous-mucosal pallor (63.7%), and fever (43.5%). Radiological findings predominantly showed right-sided pleurisy (62.1%). The pleurisy was often extensive (78.2%), accompanied by pneumothorax (37.1%), alveolo-interstitial opacities (8.1% of cases), and abscess formations (1.6%). Pleural fluid cultures were positive in 46.9% of cases, with Staphylococcus aureus (75%, methi-S) identified among 32 bacteria. Initial antibiotic treatment was empirical, favoring oxacillin (53.2%) or amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (53.2%) in dual (42%) or triple therapy (33%) with gentamicin (64.1%) and/or metronidazole (21.8%). Treatments also included pleural drainage (68.5%) or repeated evacuation punctures (33.1%), and blood transfusion (39%). The mortality rate was 18.8%. Conclusion: Non-tuberculous purulent pleurisy remains a significant concern in pediatric hospitalizations at the CHU of Bouaké, marked by high mortality rates.