Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part B (2024)

Introduction: Lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause of mortality among children in developing countries, and anemia frequently coexists as a significant contributing factor ^[1,2]. This study aimed to investigate the association between lower respiratory tract infections and anemia in children.

Objectives: This study is to assess the severity of Pneumonia and its association with anemia and its outcome in children less than 10years admitted in PICU.

Methodology: A Retrospective study done over 6 months period in department of paediatrics, SIMS&RC in PICU, from September 2023 till February 2024. 100 children were admitted and their Hb levels and severity of Pneumonia were evaluated. Children admitted with symptoms of fever, cough, tachypnea, chest retractions, and rhonchi or crackles on chest auscultation, as per the WHO criteria ^[3] were included.

Investigations included were hemoglobin, peripheral smear and chest X-ray. Hemoglobin < 11 gm% was taken as anemia as per WHO criteria. Data collection was done, data were analysed. Statistical tests were used to determine the association between Pneumonia and Anemia.

Results: Out of 124 children, 100 eligible children were taken for the study and showed that there is significant association between Pneumonia and Anemia and its severity is inversely proportional. Male to females with a ratio of 1.6:1, and 44% of the children were between the age of 1 to 5 years, and that 74% of children were diagnosed to have some form of respiratory distress with moderate levels of anemia. Which also showed 91.6% and 72.72% of children were between 1 to 12 months and 1 to 5years of age.

Conclusion: Anemia is a significant risk factor for Lower Respiratory Tract Infection. Prevention via supplementation and adequate nutrition and early diagnosis of anemia is important to reduce the incidence of lower respiratory tract infection and significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality.