EVALUATION OF TREATMENT OUTCOMES FOR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH PERTUSSIS AT THE VIETNAM NATIONAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, 2019-2020

Pertussis is a respiratory tract infection caused by Bordetella pertussis, particularly affecting children and often leading to prolonged and distressing coughing episodes. The aim of the study was to determine the cure rate, complications, and mortality in children with pertussis at the National Children's Hospital. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 382 children under 16 years old diagnosed with pertussis at the National Children's Hospital from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020. 95.5% (365/382) of the children were prescribed macrolide antibiotics. 12.3% (47/382) of the children were hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit with an average stay of 10 days (ranging from 1 to 60 days). 44.5% (170/382) required oxygen therapy; 9.2% (35/382) needed mechanical ventilation; 4.5% (17/382) received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG); 0.8% (3/382) required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO); and 0.5% (2/382) underwent blood filtration. After an average 25.8 ± 10.5 days, Real-time PCR results confirmed negative. The cure rate was 92.9% with an average hospital stay of 12.95 ± 10.47 days. The children with severe pertussis had a nearly twice as long average hospital stay (15 days) as those with mild and moderate pertussis (8 days). The mortality rate was 1.6%. Macrolide antibiotics remained highly effective in the treatment of pertussis with the cure rate of 92.9%.