Accuracy of Clinical and Diagnostic Studies for Pneumonia in Children

Pneumonia continues to be a leading cause of death in children under five years of age worldwide. Many studies have evaluated clinical signs and symptoms that may predict pneumonia. A recent meta-analysis found that no singular physical exam finding predicted pneumonia. The World Health Organization (WHO) Criteria diagnose pneumonia based on fast breathing; however, tachypnea has not been shown to strongly predict pneumonia. This study will evaluate accuracy of clinical history, physical exam and WHO criteria, laboratory findings, and lung ultrasound compared with chest radiograph for the diagnosis of pneumonia in children under five years of age in a resource limited setting. Determining diagnostic accuracy of these findings may help derive a clinical decision rule that may more accurately predict which children have pneumonia than current WHO guidelines.