Assessment of a new algorithm in the management of acute respiratory tract infections in children

oleh: Seyed Ahmad Tabatabaei, Seyed Alireza Fahimzad, Ahmad Reza Shamshiri, Farideh Shiva, Shadab Salehpor, Shirin Sayyahfar, Ghamartag Khanbabaei, Shahnaz Armin, Sedigheh Rafii Tabatabaei, Alireza Khatami, Maryam Kadivar

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2012-01-01

Deskripsi

Objectives: To assess the practicability of a new algorithm in decreasing the rate of incorrect diagnoses and inappropriate antibiotic usage in pediatric Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (ARTI). Materials and Methods: Children between 1 month to15 years brought to outpatient clinics of a children′s hospital with acute respiratory symptoms were managed according to the steps recommended in the algorithm. Results: Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, and undifferentiated ARTI accounted for 82%, 14.5%, and 3.5% of 1 209 cases, respectively. Antibiotics were prescribed in 33%; for: Common cold, 4.1%; Sinusitis, 85.7%; Otitis media, 96.9%; Pharyngotonsillitis, 63.3%; Croup, 6.5%; Bronchitis, 15.6%; Pertussis-like syndrome, 82.1%; Bronchiolitis, 4.1%; and Pneumonia, 50%. Conclusion: Implementation of the ARTIs algorithm is practicable and can help to reduce diagnostic errors and rate of antibiotic prescription in children with ARTIs.