OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical, laboratorial and radiographic predictors for
Bordetella pertussis infection. METHODS: This was a retrospective study, which analyzed medical records of all patients
submitted to a molecular dignosis (qPCR) for B. pertussis from
September 2011 to January 2013. Clinical and laboratorial data were reviewed,
including information about age, sex, signs/symptoms, length of hospitalization,
blood cell counts, imaging findings, coinfection with other respiratory pathogens
and clinical outcome. RESULTS: 222 cases were revised. Of these, 72.5% had proven pertussis, and 60.9% were
under 1 year old. In patients aging up to six months, independent predictors for
B. pertussis infection were (OR 8.0, CI 95% 1.8-36.3;
p=0.007) and lymphocyte count >104/µL (OR 10.0,
CI 95% 1.8-54.5; p=0.008). No independent predictors of
B. pertussis infection could be determined for patients older
than six months. Co-infection was found in 21.4% of patients, of which 72.7% were
up to six months of age. Adenovirus was the most common agent (40.9%). In these
patients, we were not able to identify any clinical features to detect patients
presenting with a respiratory co-infection, even though longer hospital stay was
observed in patients with co-infections (12 vs. 6 days; p=0.009).
CONCLUSIONS: Cyanosis and lymphocytosis are independent predictors for pertussis in children
up to 6 months old.
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