Role of Hyponatremia in Prediction of Outcome in Children with Severe Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

Background: Lower respiratory infection (LRTI) is one of the serious illnesses, especially in less than 5 year of age group requiring hospitalization and contributes to 30%of deaths yearly worldwide mainly due to pneumonia as the leading cause. Aim This study aimed to find the association of hyponatremia (serum sodium less than 135 mEq/L) with severe LRTI. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 children admitted to PICU with severe LRTI included bronchopneumonia (BPN), lobar pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and empyema , all children were subjected to full history taking, complete clinical examination and investigations as complete blood count, arterial blood gases, C-reactive protein, potassium and sodium levels and radiological investigations as chest X-ray and chest CT . The conditions were assessed by PRESS score. Results: Most cases had normal sodium (63%), 3% had severe hypernatremia, 10% had moderate hyponatremia, 19% had mild hyponatremia, and 5% had hypernatremia. Children with hyponatremia had statistically higher frequencies of MV, mortality and statistically longer duration of oxygen support and hospital stay. At sodium level