Prognostic value of hematological parameters in childhood respiratory tract infections

Introduction. Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) represent a growing burden among pediatric populations, as their potential progression towards acute respiratory insufficiency (ARI), which requires hospitalization and can be light-threatening without adequate supportive measures. Several recent studies have tried to investigate the role of non-invasive depictable parameters, such as those easily determined through a complete blood count (CBC), in the prediction of potentially complicated RTIs. The aim of the current study is to assess whether changes in hematological parameters can predict the development of respiratory insufficiency in children with RTIs. Material and methods. A retrospective study was conducted on 80 patients hospitalized for RTIs, divided into two groups based on their complication by ARI: children with RTI and ARI (group 1-30 patients) and children with RTI, uncomplicated with ARI (group 2-50 patients). Patients with a previously known chronic or hematological disorder were excluded from the study. A CBC was carried out in each patient and C-reactive protein (CRP) values were also determined. Moreover, RT-PCR testing for SARS-COV2 infection was carried out in each child. Results. There were no significant differences in most of the hematological parameters analyzed between the two groups, with the exception of mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), which exhibited lower values in study group 1. Insignificant differences in parameters of CBC were also found when performing a separate analysis on the subgroup of patients infected with SARS-COV2. However, significantly higher CRP values were found in subjects with RTIs complicated by ARI. An important decrease in hemoglobin levels, under 10 mg/dl, was not positively associated with a complicated outcome of RTIs. Conclusion. Hematological parameters, with the exception of MCHC, are not predictive of ARI in children diagnosed with RTIs. A separate analysis on cases diagnosed with SARS-COV2 infection revealed similar, insignificant results. Further studies, conducted on larger populations, could provide more data regarding the role of hematological parameters in the prediction of RTIs’ severity.