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Main Article Content
Determinants of mortality in Nigerian children with severe anaemia
Abstract
major cause of paediatric hospital admissions and deaths in the tropics.
Objectives.To examine the pattern and predictors of mortality
among severely anaemic children.
Methods. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among children with severe anaemia at the Children’s Emergency Room of the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Sociodemographic
characteristics, clinical features, laboratory findings and co-morbidities of the survivors and those who died were compared by logistic regression analysis.
Results. Of the 1 735 children admitted, 311 (17.9%) had severe
anaemia, with a case-fatality rate of 9.3%. The presence of respiratory
distress (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1 - 3.6, p=0.031); acidosis
(95% CI 1.8 - 2.7, p=0.010); coma (95% CI 0.1 - 0.3, p=0.001);
hypotension (95% CI 2.0 - 4.2, p=0.020); and bacteraemia (95% CI 3.1
- 3.9; p=0.008) were the significant independent predictors of death
with regression analysis.
Conclusion. Early recognition with prompt and appropriate anticipatory intervention is essential to reduce mortality from severe anaemia.
