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AIMS: To describe a series of children with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). METHODS: A review of patient records for children aged 0-18 years admitted to the John Radcliffe Hospital with IPD from 1985 to 2001. Social deprivation was measured by the Jarman index. The proportion of children with congenital abnormalities was compared with national data. RESULTS: We identified 140 children with IPD; complete data were available for 136 children. The median age at diagnosis was 1.5 years. The social deprivation score of households of children with IPD was higher than that of the average Oxfordshire household (-2.5 v -7.3, p < 0.001). Forty four per cent of cases had at least one preceding health problem. The children with preceding health problems were significantly older than those with no preceding problems (median age 2.67 years, interquartile range 1.21 to 6.20 versus 1.11 years, interquartile range 0.51 to 2.21; p < 0.001). There was an increased risk of IPD for children with central nervous system malformations (OR = 99, 95% CI 31 to 236), congenital heart disease (OR = 62, 95% CI 24 to 131), and chromosomal abnormalities (OR = 32, 95% CI 6.6 to 96). CONCLUSIONS: There is an increased risk of IPD associated with increased social deprivation; and also with central nervous system malformations, congenital heart disease, and chromosomal abnormalities.

Original publication

DOI

10.1136/adc.88.8.712

Type

Journal article

Journal

Arch Dis Child

Publication Date

08/2003

Volume

88

Pages

712 - 714

Keywords

Adolescent, Central Nervous System, Child, Child, Preschool, Chromosome Aberrations, Female, Heart Defects, Congenital, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Pneumococcal Infections, Poverty, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors