Population and Methods:

A retrospective cross-sectional study conducted between January 2010 and June 2011 in a tertiary hospital located in Bogotá, Colombia, at an altitude of 2600 meters above sea level. The study involved children under 5 years old hospitalized with lower respiratory diseases. Background, clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics were reviewed and correlated with hospital stay and antibiotic use. Statistical significance was analyzed (p < 0.05).

Results:

A total of 1063 cases were obtained, of which 89 were excluded, resulting in a total of 974 cases. The use of antibiotics, hypoxemia upon admission, presence of retractions, respiratory syncytial virus, and, in association with antibiotic use, congenital heart diseases, presence of consolidation, and high temperatures within the first 72 hours, independently prolonged hospital stay. Antibiotic use was associated with the number of days of illness before consultation, revisits, fever upon admission or its persistence in the hospital, retractions, higher absolute leukocyte or neutrophil count, respiratory syncytial virus, higher C-reactive protein value, duration of supplementary oxygen, and radiological presence of consolidation or pleural effusion.

Conclusions:

Severity variables described for respiratory diseases did not influence the hospital stay of our patients. Clinical, laboratory, and radiological factors were associated with antibiotic use.

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