Nutritional Status and Diarrheal Illness as Independent Risk Factors for Alveolar Pneumonia

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Abstract
Community-acquired alveolar pneumonia (CAAP) is typically associated with bacterial infections and is especially prevalent in vulnerable populations worldwide. The authors studied nutritional status and diarrheal history as risk factors for CAAP in Bedouin children p < 0.001), low birth weight (AOR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.32, 3.54; p = 0.002), stunting (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.31, 3.78; p = 0.004), serum retinol concentration (AOR = 1.03 per μg/dl, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.05; p < 0.001), and having ≥1 diarrhea episodes within 31 days prior to enrollment (AOR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.26, 4.19; p = 0.007) were identified as risk factors for CAAP. Results suggest that improving antenatal care and the nutritional status of infants may reduce the risk of CAAP in Bedouin children. Furthermore, they suggest that vaccines developed to prevent diarrhea may also lower the risk of CAAP.