Prevalencia de infecciones del tracto respiratorio superiores e inferiores en pacientes de 3 a 5 años en el área de hospitalización pediátrica del Hospital General IESS Babahoyo periodo 2021-2022.

Abstract

Introduction: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are a leading cause of illness and death in children under 5 years of age. They are divided into upper RTIs, generally caused by viruses, and lower RTIs, which are more severe and commonly bacterial. In Ecuador, RTIs accounted for 12.5% of pediatric hospitalizations in 2018. Objective: This research aims to analyze the prevalence of upper and lower RTIs in children aged 3 to 5 years hospitalized at the Hospital General IESS Babahoyo between 2021 and 2022. Methodology: A descriptive, observational and retrospective study was conducted at the Hospital IESS Babahoyo, reviewing medical records of 390 children aged 3 to 5 years hospitalized between 2021 and 2022. Patients with definitive diagnosis of RTI were included, excluding those with chronic respiratory diseases or comorbidities. Results: 63.8% of the patients were male. Respiratory infections were more frequent in 3-year-old children (36.41%). The most common upper RTIs were rhinitis (28.7%), followed by pharyngitis and sinusitis. Among the lower RTIs, asthma was the most frequent (35.64%), followed by bronchitis and pneumonia. Rhinitis predominated in both sexes, while asthma was more frequent in males. Conclusion: The pediatric population affected by RTI is mainly composed of 3-year-old children. Rhinitis is the most frequent upper respiratory infection, while asthma is the main lower RTI. Males have a higher prevalence of these infections.