Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: It is recommended to take a blood culture test in pediatric patients diagnosed with pneumonia. However, the rate of pathogenic microorganisms produced in blood culture tests is quite low. In this study, the results of blood culture tests and some blood test parameters in pediatric patients hospitalized with pneumonia diagnosis were evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 643 patients who were hospitalized and diagnosed with pneumonia in accordance with ICD10 coding and whose blood culture test was taken between 2016 and 2018 were included in the study. The results of blood culture tests and blood test parameters ((WBC (White Blood Count), ANC (Absolute Neutrophil Count), AMC (Absolute Monosite Count), MPV (Mean Platelet Volume), PDW (Platelet Distribution Wide), PCT (Plateletcrit)) and CRP (C-Reaktif Protein)) were evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 27.1±38.2 months and 41.8% of the patients were female. Blood culture results were positive in 4.0% of the patients (n=26). The platelet count of the patients with positive blood culture (307.3/ml) was lower than those with negative blood culture (360.2/ml) (p=0.035) but no differences were found in the CRP levels (p = 0.095), total white blood cell count (p = 0.069) and MPV (p= 0.846) values. PDW level was found higher (p <0.001) in patients with positive blood culture (12.7±2.6%) than those with negative blood culture (10.4±1.7%). The most frequently isolated pathogen was Staphylococcus Hominis (n=8, 36.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of detection of pathogenic microorganisms in the blood culture test in pediatric patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of pneumonia is at a very low level. In these patients, the demonstration of pathogen bacteria in the blood culture test is valuable for the treatment of the disease and choice of empirical antibiotherapy. It is necessary to conduct studies on the use of other blood parameters in the diagnosis, treatment and clinical follow-up of pneumonia in children.

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