ACUTE FEVER IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS - CONTR IBUTION OF ROUTINE CHEST FILMS TO THE DIAGNOSIS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of a rout ine frontal chest film to the diagnosis of the cause of acute fever in pediatric patients younger than five years, Two groups of patients ag ed zero to five years seen as outpatients for fever of less than two w eeks' duration were studied, In 207 patients, fever was the only manif estation (case group), whereas in 109 respiratory symptoms were also p resent (control group), A physical evaluation and frontal plain chest film were performed in each subject, Chest films showed abnormalities suggesting a cause to the fever in 34 patients in the case group (16.4 %) versus 88 (80.7%) in the control group (p < 0.001). Bronchial and a lveolar syndromes were the most common findings, The significant diffe rence between the case and control groups was found across the age ran ge studied, The prevalence of chest film abnormalities was nor correla ted with the height or duration of fever. In conclusion, in children u nder five with fever, a chest film should be obtained only if respirat ory manifestations are present.