The effect of exposure to wood smoke on outcomes of childhood pneumonia in Botswana.

SETTING: Tertiary hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether exposure to wood smoke worsens outcomes of childhood pneumonia. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of children aged 1-23 months meeting clinical criteria for pneumonia. Household use of wood as a cooking fuel was assessed during a face-to-face questionnaire with care givers. We estimated crude and adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for treatment failure at 48 h by household use of wood as a cooking fuel. We assessed for effect modification by age (1-5 vs. 6-23 months) and malnutrition (none vs. moderate vs. severe). RESULTS: The median age of the 284 enrolled children was 5.9 months; 17% had moderate or severe malnutrition. Ninety-nine (35%) children failed treatment at 48 h and 17 (6%) died. In multivariable analyses, household use of wood as a cooking fuel increased the risk of treatment failure at 48 h (RR 1.44, 95%CI 1.09-1.92, P = 0.01). This association differed by child nutritional status (P = 0.02), with a detrimental effect observed only among children with no or moderate malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to wood smoke worsens outcomes for childhood pneumonia. Efforts to prevent exposure to smoke from unprocessed fuels may improve pneumonia outcomes among children.

Duke Scholars

Author Matthew Kelly Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases