Table 1 Demographic characteristics of study population (n = 135)
Age at admission (years); mean (SD) [range] | 4.8 (3.9) [0–17 years] |
Sex (male); n (%) | 76 (56.3) |
Prematurity (gestational age <37 weeks); n (%) | 9 (6.7) |
Month of admission: n (%) | |
January – March | 47 (34.8) |
April – June | 30 (22.2) |
July – September | 25 (18.5) |
October – December | 33 (24.4) |
Length of history of symptoms (days); median (IQR) | |
Patients without effusion | 4 (3–7) |
Patients with effusion | 7 (5–10) |
Fever prior to presentation; n (%) | 127 (94.1) |
Previous visit to physician in prior 24 hours documented; n (%) | 86 (63.7) |
Antimicrobials prescribed prior to presentation documented; n (%) | 56 (41.5) |
Hospitalization for asthma in past year; n (%) | 3 (2.2) |
Attendance at daycare or school documented; n (%) | 100 (74.1) |
Up to date immunizations documented; n (%) | 120 (88.9) |
Admitted from: n (%) | |
CHEO Emergency Department | 108 (80) |
Transferred from peripheral hospital as outpatient | 17 (12.6) |
Transferred from peripheral hospital as inpatient | 10 (7.4) |