Table 1 Main demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics at baseline in 20 children hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia according to the use of pidotimod plus antibiotics or antibiotics only
Characteristic | All children (n = 20) | Pidotimod + antibiotics (n = 10) | Antibiotics only (n = 10) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographics | ||||
 Age (years) | ||||
  Mean (SD) | 4.6 (1.9) | 4.4 (2.0) | 4.7 (1.8) | 0.70a |
 Sex (%) | ||||
  Male | 14 (70) | 7 (70) | 7 (70) |  |
  Female | 6 (30) | 3 (30) | 3 (30) | 1 |
 Ethnicity (%) | ||||
  Caucasian | 17 (85) | 8 (80) | 9 (90) |  |
  Non-caucasian | 3 (15) | 2 (20) | 1 (10) | 0.99b |
 Parental smoking habitb (%) | ||||
  Both non-smokers (%) | 13 (65) | 6 (60) | 7 (70) |  |
  At least one smoker (%) | 7 (35) | 4 (40) | 3 (30) | 0.99b |
 Exclusive breastfeeding ≥3 monthsc | ||||
  Yes (%) | 11 (58) | 4 (40) | 7 (78) |  |
  No (%) | 8 (42) | 6 (60) | 2 (22) | 0.17b |
 Diagnosis of allergy (%) | ||||
  Yes | 18 (90) | 9 (90) | 9 (90) |  |
  No | 2 (10) | 1 (10) | 1 (10) | 1 |
 Respiratory infections in the previous 6 months (%) | ||||
  At least one | 13 (65) | 5 (50) | 8 (80) |  |
  None | 7 (35) | 5 (50) | 2 (20) | 0.35b |
 Use of antibiotics for respiratory infection in the previous 6 months (%) | ||||
  Yes | 4(20) | 2(20) | 2(20) |  |
  No | 16 (80) | 8 (80) | 8 (80) | 1 |
Clinical characteristics | ||||
 Fever (≥37.8°)c (%) | ||||
  Yes | 8 (42) | 5 (56) | 3 (30) | 0.37b |
  No | 11 (58) | 4 (44) | 7 (70) |  |
 Coughc (%) | ||||
  Yes | 18 (95) | 8 (89) | 10 (100) |  |
  No | 1 (5) | 1 (11) | 0 (0) | 0.47b |
 Dyspneac (%) | ||||
  Yes | 4 (21) | 2 (22) | 2 (20) |  |
  No | 15 (79) | 7 (78) | 8 (80) | 0.99b |
 Rhonchi (%) | ||||
  Yes | 1 (5) | 1 (10) | 0 (0) |  |
  No | 19 (95) | 9 (90) | 10 (100) | 0.99b |
 Rales (%) | ||||
  Yes | 16 (80) | 7 (70) | 9 (90) |  |
  No | 4 (20) | 3 (30) | 1 (10) | 0.58b |
 Wheezes (%) | ||||
  Yes | 4 (20) | 3 (30) | 1 (10) |  |
  No | 16 (80) | 7 (70) | 9 (90) | 0.58b |
 SpO2 <92 % (%) | ||||
  Yes | 7 (35) | 2 (20) | 5 (50) |  |
  No | 13 (65) | 8 (80) | 5 (50) | 0.35b |
Laboratory results | ||||
 White blood cell count (cells/µL) | ||||
  Mean (SD) | 13,154 (6512) | 13,176 (6708) | 13,132 (6672) | 0.97a |
  CRP (mg/L) | ||||
 Mean (SD) | 5.95 (6.58) | 5.82 (5.02) | 6.07 (4.25) | 0.82a |
  PCT (ng/mL) | ||||
  Mean (SD) | 0.40 (0.84) | 0.42 (0.89) | 0.38 (0.84) | 0.96a |