Epidemiology of acute lower respiratory tract infection hospitalizations in Thai children: A 5‐year national data analysis

• Published in: Influenza and other respiratory viruses Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 142 - 150
• Main Authors: Sitthikarnkha, Phanthila, Uppala, Rattapon, Niamsanit, Sirapoom, Sutra, Sumitr, Thepsuthammarat, Kaewjai, Techasatian, Leelawadee, Teeratakulpisarn, Jamaree
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-01-2022; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age groups; Bronchitis; Bronchopneumonia; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Data Analysis; Disease; Epidemiology; Etiology; Health problems; Hospitalization; Hospitals; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infections; Influenza; lower respiratory tract infection; Morbidity; Mortality; Original; Orthomyxoviridae; Pathogens; Patients; Pediatrics; Pneumonia; Pneumonia - epidemiology; Respiratory diseases; Respiratory syncytial virus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections - epidemiology; Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Human; Respiratory tract; Respiratory tract diseases; Respiratory tract infection; Respiratory Tract Infections - epidemiology; Retrospective Studies; Seasons; Security; Thailand - epidemiology; Trends; Viruses; Thailand; Bangkok Thailand; mortality; hospitalization; pneumonia; children; lower respiratory tract infection
• ISSN: 1750-2640; 1750-2659
• DOI: 10.1111/irv.12911

Background
Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are the most common cause for hospitalization in pediatric patients. Pediatric patients with LRTIs are at an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The national data analysis of epidemiologic variations facilitates awareness and develops solutions to prevent these conditions in the future.
Objective
This study aims to evaluate the epidemiology, causative pathogens, morbidity, and mortality of LRTIs in pediatric patients of Thailand from 2015 to 2019.
Methods
This was a retrospective study among pediatric patients aged between 0 and 18 years old admitted in hospitals due to LRTIs in Thailand from January 2015 to December 2019. The data were extracted from National Health Security Office using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, Thai Modification; ICD‐10‐TM of J09 to J22.
Results
A total of 1,423,509 children hospitalized due to LRTIs were identified. Most of the patients were of age 1–5 years. Pneumonia was the most common LRTI (876,557 children, 61.58%) in hospitalized children. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main etiologic pathogen of bronchiolitis, which presents in approximately 10.86% of all episodes. Influenza viruses were found predominantly in children with pneumonia (15.52%). The mortality rate since 2015–2019 was highest in pneumonia under 1 year old (P < 0.001). Pneumonia in children under 5 years old had the highest mortality rate, which accounted for 11.85 per 100,000 children in 2019.
Conclusions
LRTIs had a high incidence rate of hospitalization and mortality, especially in children under 5 years old. Influenza virus was the most common pathogen of pneumonia.