Prevalence of Anemia among Children Diagnosed with Pneumonia Attending Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital, Morang, Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood pneumonia is the leading cause of serious illness and death worldwide. In developing countries, pneumonia is the biggest single cause of childhood death under the age of 5 years. Globally, anemia is a major nutritional problem of immense public health significance. Iron deficiency anemia in children occurs most frequently between the age of 6 months and 3years, the same period of age when repeated infections occur.

Objective: The main objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of anemia among children diagnosed with pneumonia.

Methodology: This is a hospital based cross sectional study carried out in the Department of Paediatrics, Birat Medical College Teaching Hospital, from 15^th February 2020 to 15^th August 2020. This study was performed on 150 pneumonic children between 6 to 60 months of age. History regarding fever, cough and fast breathing was taken.  All the data were recorded in the preformed proforma. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.

Results:  This study was performed on 150 pneumonic children, in which male babies (n=93; 62%) outnumbered the female babies (n=57; 38%). The majority of children were in the age group of 6 to 24 month (n=85; 56.7%). The mean hemoglobin level was 9. 49±1.39 gm/dl. The hemoglobin level less than 11 gm/dl was seen in 102 (68%) cases. Microcytic hypochromic anemia was present in 73 (71.6%) children.

Conclusion: The prevalence of anemia among the pneumonic children of 6-60 months is 68% that is higher than the national data (52.6%) of prevalence of anemia in the same age group. While treating childhood pneumonia, checking hemoglobin on regular basis will be very useful to diagnose and manage concurrent anemia