Resumen

ALVAREZ RODRIGUEZ, Alicia et al. Infección bacteriana severa en niños febriles: Parámetros predictivos. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 1997, vol.69, n.3, pp. 179-186. ISSN 1561-3119.

Different researches have performed studies on the management of the febrile infant and they point out that this is a dilemma faced by every physician who takes care of children. Motivated by this subject, a descriptive and retrospective study of febrile infants was conducted. The study was carried out to evaluate febrile infants without evident cause at the baseline evaluation who attended the emergency service during a period of 9 months with the objective of identifying the definite diagnosis at admission. The type of bacterial infection was accurately assessed and the presence of this was related to clinical and laboratory parameters. The greatest number of febrile infants evaluated and admitted to hospital were 91 days-36 months old. The lowest percentage of them were admitted to hospital and they developed some serious bacterial infection, mainly pneumonia. The percentage of infants presenting with pneumonia was greater in infants under the age above mentioned with predominance of the toxic aspect and of a temperature 39 EC. The outpatient management of the febrile infant over 90 days of life and low risk of serious bacterial infection resulted in lifes and money saved; that's why we recommend to systematized the flujogram proposed for the evaluation and management of the 3-36 months old febrile infant.

Palabras clave : BACTERIAL INFECTIONS [diagnosis]; FEVER [etiology]; HEALTH CARE COSTS; EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES [economics]; EVALUATION; HOSPITAL COSTS.