1. European study confirms the combination of fever and petechial rash as an important warning sign for childhood sepsis and meningitis.
- Author
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Kohlmaier B, Leitner M, Hagedoorn NN, Borensztajn DM, von Both U, Carrol ED, Emonts M, van der Flier M, de Groot R, Herberg J, Levin M, Lim E, Maconochie IK, Martinon-Torres F, Nijman RG, Pokorn M, Rivero-Calle I, Tan CD, Tsolia M, Vermont CL, Zachariasse JM, Zavadska D, Moll HA, and Zenz W
- Subjects
- Child, Humans, Infant, Fever diagnosis, Fever etiology, Emergency Service, Hospital, Purpura etiology, Purpura complications, Sepsis complications, Sepsis diagnosis, Meningitis diagnosis, Meningitis complications, Exanthema diagnosis, Exanthema etiology
- Abstract
Aim: This study investigated febrile children with petechial rashes who presented to European emergency departments (EDs) and investigated the role that mechanical causes played in diagnoses., Methods: Consecutive patients with fever presenting to EDs in 11 European emergency departments in 2017-2018 were enrolled. The cause and focus of infection were identified and a detailed analysis was performed on children with petechial rashes. The results are presented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI)., Results: We found that 453/34010 (1.3%) febrile children had petechial rashes. The focus of the infection included sepsis (10/453, 2.2%) and meningitis (14/453, 3.1%). Children with a petechial rash were more likely than other febrile children to have sepsis or meningitis (OR 8.5, 95% CI 5.3-13.1) and bacterial infections (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.8) as well as need for immediate life-saving interventions (OR 6.6, 95% CI 4.4-9.5) and intensive care unit admissions (OR 6.5, 95% CI 3.0-12.5)., Conclusion: The combination of fever and petechial rash is still an important warning sign for childhood sepsis and meningitis. Ruling out coughing and/or vomiting was insufficient to safely identify low-risk patients., (© 2023 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.)
- Published
- 2023
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