Length of hospital stay in children with severe community-acquired pneumonia: Influence of clinical and laboratory parameters

Introduction: Hospitalisation due to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) burdens healthcare expenditure. Little is known regarding clinical and laboratory markers as predictors of length of hospital stay (LOHS) in CAP.  
Objectives: To assess the influence of clinical and laboratory parameters on the LOHS in children with severe CAP.
Method: This is a prospective cohort study of 159 hospitalised children with severe CAP. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the factors associated with LOHS.  
Results: One-third had very severe CAP, and 38.4% had chest x-ray endpoint consolidations. Nasopharyngeal polymerase chain reaction revealed 89.2% viruses, 37% being due to respiratory syncytial virus. Median (IQR) LOHS was 5 (3-8) days. LOHS was longer in children with endpoint consolidation (aOR:3.14, 95% CI:1.268, 7.775), C-reactive protein (CRP) >100mg/L (aOR:4.171, 95% CI:1.069, 16.278), very-severe pneumonia (aOR:22.38 95% CI: 7.214, 69.428), and low income (aOR:3.29, 95% CI: 1.279, 8.492),  
Conclusions: Chest x-ray findings, CRP level, pneumonia severity on admission and socioeconomic variables predicted LOHS.