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Table 1 Variables in the history and physical exam associated with patients 0–36 months of age presenting to the ED with fever, previously on and off antibiotics

From: Comparing febrile children presenting on and off antibiotics to the emergency department: a retrospective cohort study

 

All

N = 753

AB-

N = 584

AB+

N = 169

P-Value

Age (months), mean(±SD)

17.8 ± 10.2

16.86 ± 10.26

21.22 ± 9.18

< 0.0001

Male

406 (53.9)

300 (51.4)

106 (62.7)

0.009

Fever Duration (days), mean(±SD)

2.9 ± 3.5

2.14 ± 1.64

4.55 ± 5.54

< 0.0001

Congestion, yes

251 (33.4)

196 (33.6)

55 (32.7)

0.83

Immunizations up to date for age, yes

259 (97.7)

235 (97.5)

24 (100.0)

1.00

At least one of the below symptoms

664 (88.4)

509 (87.3)

155 (92.3)

0.07

 Respiratory Symptoms

416 (55.4)

323 (55.4)

93 (55.4)

0.99

 Gastrointestinal Symptoms

332 (44.2)

253 (43.4)

79 (47.0)

0.40

 Urinary Symptoms

11 (1.5)

10 (1.7)

1 (0.6)

0.47

 Sore Throat

45 (6.0)

28 (4.8)

17 (10.1)

0.01

 Otalgia

31 (4.1)

25 (4.3)

6 (3.6)

0.67

 Rash

36 (4.8)

29 (5.0)

7 (4.2)

0.67

 Decreased Appetite

285 (38.2)

223 (38.6)

62 (36.9)

0.69

 Decreased Urine output

67 (9.3)

56 (10.1)

11 (6.5)

0.16

 Decreased Activity

120 (16.3)

94 (16.5)

26 (15.5)

0.75

 Change in mental status

118 (15.7)

84 (14.4)

34 (20.2)

0.07

ED Tmaxa(°C) < 38

243 (32.3)

161 (28.4)

83 (49.7)

< 0.0001

 38–39.4

353 (46.9)

298 (52.6)

55 (33.3)

 > 39.5–40

99 (13.1)

78 (13.8)

21 (12.7)

 > 40

37 (4.9)

30 (5.3)

7 (4.2)

Tachycardia (n = 291)

201 (69.1)

75 (53.2)

126 (84)

< 0.0001

Tachypnea (n = 275)

26 (9.5)

10 (7.4)

16 (11.5)

0.24

Hypoxia (n = 444)

75 (20.4)

55 (15.8)

20 (20.6)

0.24

Normal physical exam

732 (97.6)

568 (97.3)

164 (98.8)

0.39

At least one abnormal finding below

21 (2.4)

16 (2.7)

5 (1.2)

0.39

 Sick Looking

28 (37)

28 (4.8)

0 (0.0)

0.004

 Abnormal lung sounds

92 (12.6)

59 (10.4)

33 (20.1)

0.001

 Lungs wheezing

36 (4.9)

29 (5.1)

7 (4.3)

0.66

 Abnormal mental status b

81 (10.8)

71 (12.2)

10 (6.0)

0.02

 Abnormal perfusion (n = 19)

12 (63.2)

12 (70.6)

0 (0.0)

0.12

 Abnormal TM c

155 (20.7)

110 (18.8)

45 (27.1)

0.02

 Abnormal tonsils

380 (50.8)

283 (48.5)

97 (59.1)

0.02

 Skin rash

38 (5.2)

34 (5.9)

4 (2.4)

0.07

Well appearing babyd

85 (11.3)

72 (12.3)

13 (7.7)

0.09

  1. Percentages are of the total who had a response to that finding
  2. aHighest temperature measured in the Emergency Department
  3. bIncludes hypoactivity, lethargy, sleepy, irritable
  4. cTM Tympanic membrane
  5. dnormal physician exam and no symptoms other than congestion