Treatment Outcome of Community Acquired Pneumonia among Pediatric Patients Admitted to Pediatrics Wards at University of Gondar Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross sectional study

Abstract Background Pneumonia claims the lives of more children around the world than any other infectious disease. Community-acquired pneumonia remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Objective The objective of this study was to determine treatment outcome of community acquired pneumonia among pediatric patients. Method A Cross sectional study was conducted from March 30, 2019 to June 30, 2019 and included patients who were admitted to pediatrics wards from September 1, 2015 to March 30, 2019. The study included pediatric age groups between one month and fifteen years old. Study Participants were selected based on the diagnosis of Community acquired pneumonia. Systematic random sampling technique was used. All the statistical data were carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20) and descriptive statistics were presented using means with standard deviation and percentages. Binary logistic regression model was fitted to measure the association between independent and dependent variables including duration of signs and symptoms. 95% Confidence interval was used. Statistically significant at P < 0.05. Results A total of 385 patients with Community Acquired Pneumonia were included in this study of whom 368(95.65%) were discharged and 17(4.4%) of patients were dead. Drug therapy change (AOR 20.308(3.666-112.501), P = 0.001), Prescribing and taking of large number of drugs (above 5 drugs) (AOR 0.067, CI (0.015–0.313), P = 0.001), Loss of appetite (AOR 38.641, CI (5.454-273.769), P = 0.000), and Blood transfusion (AOR 10.514, CI (1.752–63.113), P = 0.01) have significant association with the treatment outcome of death. Conclusion and recommendation: Drug therapy change, taking large number of drugs, Loss of appetite and Blood transfusion, were significantly associated with increased mortality of children with pneumonia. Optimal duration of drug therapy and prescribing and providing of different classes of drugs can prevent childhood mortality from community acquired pneumonia.