Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Children Hospitalized with Suspected Measles at Jimma University Medical Center, Ethiopia, Cross Sectional Study

<i>Background</i>: Measles, a highly contagious viral disease, remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among children in low-resource settings like Ethiopia. Despite the availability of vaccines, outbreaks persist, particularly in areas with low immunization coverage. This study aims to explore the clinical characteristics and outcomes of children hospitalized with suspected measles at Jimma University Medical Center (JUMC). Understanding these aspects will provide critical insights for improving case management and reducing measles-related complications and deaths. <i>Objectives:</i> The primary objective of this study was to assess the clinical characteristics, complications, and outcomes of children hospitalized with suspected measles at JUMC. <i>Methods:</i> This was a hospital-based retrospective study that involved the review of medical records of children admitted to JUMC with suspected measles over the past five years. Data on demographic characteristics, clinical features, laboratory findings, treatment interventions, and patient outcomes were extracted and analyzed. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, while multivariate analysis was used to identify factors associated with adverse outcomes. <i>Results:</i> A total of 250 children were studied (100% response rate). Slightly over half (51.6%) were from urban areas. Children were predominantly male (57.2%) and mainly aged 5-10 years (50.8%). Common symptoms were rash (100%), fever (99.2%), cough (97.2%), and conjunctivitis (85.2%), while 100% had maculopapular rash, 41.2% had Koplik's spots, and 10.4% had lymphadenopathy on physical examination. 82% of the cases were complicated with severe pneumonia while other complications identified were diarrhea (61.6%), Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (48.4%), dehydration (18.8%), Out of the total cases, 230(92%) had good outcomes, while 20 (8%) cases were died. Regarding factors associated with Poor Outcomes (Multivariable Analysis), being unvaccinated against measles (AOR=4.53, P=0.005), having malnutrition (AOR=4.14, P=0.029) and Laryngotracheobronchitis (Croup) (AOR=11.96, p=0.008) were significantly associated with increased risk of death.