[Epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia in children aged less than 5 years old in the Autonomous Community of Valencia (Spain)]. / Epidemiología de la neumonía adquirida en la comunidad en menores de 5 años en la Comunidad Valenciana.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of community acquired pneumonia in the Autonomous Community of Valencia in Spain, and describe its treatment and complications. METHODS: A retrospective cohort comprising 654 children born in 1995 and 1996 in Valencia and followed-up during the first 5 years of life by nine pediatricians was studied. The number of cases of pneumonia, treatment, complications and interventions was recorded. RESULTS: Ninety-nine episodes of community-acquired pneumonia in 80 children were recorded (1.24 cases/child). Fifty-one cases (51.1 %) occurred before the child's third birthday and 38 (38.4 %) occurred between the third and the fourth. Of the 99 cases, 51 were diagnosed in primary care and 46 in the emergency room. There was a mean of 2.44 visits per process in primary care (range 1-6). All the children were treated with antibiotics. The most frequently used were amoxicillin-clavulanate (43.3 %) and cefuroxime (26.3 %). Fourteen patients required a change of antibiotic. Twenty-three percent of the children were hospitalized. CONCLUSION: The incidence of community-acquired pneumonia in Valencia was 30.3 cases/1000 children aged less than 5 years/ year (95 % CI 18.7-46.8), and the incidence of hospitalization was 7.03 cases/1000 children aged less than 5 years/year.