CLINICAL AND LABORATORY FEATURES OF COMMUNITY-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA ASSOCIATED WITH CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS IN YOUNG CHILDREN

Introduction. Among respiratory diseases, pneumonia occupies an important place in the overall structure of pathology in young children. The unfavorable course of pneumonia is often associated with congenital developmen­tal anomalies such as congenital heart defects (CHD). Difficulties frequently arise during diagnosis, as the clinical manifestations of this combination of diseases are very similar.

Objective of the study: To study the clinical and laboratory features of community-acquired pneumonia asso­ciated with CHD in young children.

Materials and Methods. We observed 70 young children with community-acquired pneumonia, divided into two groups: children with CHD (main group, n=40) and children without CHD (comparison group, n=30). The study evaluated the maternal history, as well as the clinical, radiological, and laboratory data of the patients.

Results. In young children, pneumonia associated with congenital heart defects (CHD) has a significantly more severe course, manifesting with more pronounced symptoms of intoxication, hypoxia, and respiratory failure com­pared to patients without CHD. Laboratory findings in such patients reveal unfavorable hematological markers (leu­kopenia, thrombocytopenia), severe respiratory-metabolic acidosis, and electrolyte disturbances. Instrumentally, they are characterized by a predominance of bilateral lung lesions, which are often masked by signs of pulmonary hyper­volemia, alongside a high frequency of sinus tachycardia and right ventricular hypertrophy. The microbiological pro­file in patients with CHD, along with typical pathogens, is distinguished by a more frequent detection of Staphylo­coccus aureus, Gram-negative enterobacteria, and Candida fungi.

Conclusions. Thus, community-acquired pneumonia combined with CHD in young children leads to a phe­nomenon of mutual aggravation, masking the symptoms of the infectious process behind pronounced respiratory-metabolic disorders, thereby complicating early diagnosis.