The epidemiology of hospitalized children with pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema from 1997 to 2004 in Taiwan
Journal
European Journal of Pediatrics
Journal Volume
169
Journal Issue
7
Pages
861-866
Date Issued
2010
Author(s)
Abstract
Pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema have an important impact on the health of children worldwide. There has been no epidemiological study of pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema in Taiwan, a middle-income Asian population. Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database, we collected and analyzed data obtain from medical care claims related to pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema for children below the 18 years old from 1997 to 2004. We found the annual population-based incidence to have significant year to year increases and the average annual incidences of pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema in children under five to be 44.9 and 10.5 episodes per 100,000 children-year, respectively. About 64% of children with pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema were under 5 years old. Children 4 to 5 years old had the highest incidences of both pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema. Incidence was the highest each spring. The odds ratio of the case fatality among pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia patients complicated with empyema to those without was 118 (95% confidence interval 28-492). In conclusion, the population-based incidences of pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema among children under five in Taiwan were 44.9 and 10.5 episodes per 100,000 children-year, respectively, and 4- to 5-year-old children had the highest incidences of both pneumococcal/lobar pneumonia and empyema. This population might benefit from a universal pneumococcal vaccination program which might cover about 70% of invasive pneumococcal diseases in Taiwanese children under 5 years old. ? 2009 Springer-Verlag.
SDGs
Other Subjects
adult; article; child; empyema; fatality; female; health insurance; health program; hospitalized child; human; lobar pneumonia; major clinical study; male; medical care; population; preschool child; priority journal; Streptococcus pneumonia; Streptococcus pneumoniae; Taiwan; vaccination; Adolescent; Age Distribution; Child; Child, Preschool; Empyema; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Pneumonia; Pneumonia, Pneumococcal; Seasons; Sex Distribution; Taiwan
Type
journal article