Appropriateness of hospitalization for CAP-affected pediatric patients: report from a Southern Italy General Hospital

Dyspnoea was found to be the main clinical criterion to define an appropriate children admission for CAP. Other more objective evaluation (i.e. oxygen pulse oxymetry) could underestimate the necessity of hospitalization as patients discomfort could be more severe then indicated by TC SaO2. Furthermore, family inability to children care represents the main criterion for hospital admission in our geographic area. It reflects social deprivation status and it should be strongly considered in deciding for children hospital admission.