Correlacin entre la fiebre y la frecuencia respiratoria en menores de 5 aos

Introduction: Increased body temperature results in raised respiratory rate (RR) leading to tachypnea. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the diagnosis of pneumonia based on the presence of tachypnea can be overestimated during fever. The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between fever and RR in febrile children under five years of age. Patients and Method: A prospective study of correlation in children between 2 and 60 months was performed. RR and body temperature were measured on Emergency Room admission and after receiving acetaminophen. The correlation between the temperature change and the change in the RR was calculated. The frequency of tachypnea at admission and after normalizing the temperature was determined. Results: 362 patients were included, mean age 23.7 months old. RR in children under one year of age decreased 12.9 breaths per minute after normalizing the temperature, in older than one year of age, it decreased 10.7 breaths per minute. The r coefficient between temperature and RR was 0.08 for children under one year and 0.11 for older. Among the children who were tachypneic, 57% did not present this condition after normalizing the temperature. Conclusions: It is recommended to reevaluate RR in all febrile children after normalizing the temperature and before diagnosing tachypnea. Introduccin: Entre los efectos de la fiebre est el incremento de la frecuencia respiratoria (FR) hasta alcanzar rangos de generar taquipnea. El diagnstico de neumona segn la OMS basado en la presencia de taquipnea puede sobreestimarse durante la fiebre. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la correlacin entre fiebre y FR en nios febriles menores de 5 aos. Pacientes y Mtodo: Estudio prospectivo de correlacin en nios entre 2 y 60 meses. Se midi FR y temperatura corporal al ingreso a Servicio de Urgencia y luego de recibir acetaminofn. Se calcul la correlacin entre el cambio de temperatura y el cambio en la FR. Se determin la frecuencia de taquipnea al ingreso y al normalizar la temperatura. Resultados: 362 pacientes fueron incluidos, media 23,7 meses (DE 16,1). La FR en menores de un ao disminuy 12,9 respiraciones por minuto (DE 6,7) al normalizar temperatura; en mayores, disminuy 10,7 respiraciones por minuto (DE 5,2). El coeficiente r entre temperatura y FR fue 0,08 para menores de un ao y 0,11 para mayores. De los nios que estaban taquipneicos, 57% no lo estaban al normalizar la temperatura. Conclusiones: Se recomienda reevaluar la FR de todo nio febril luego de normalizar su temperatura antes de definir taquipnea.