Risk factors for lower respiratory tract infection in children with tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration

The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) in children caused by tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (TFBA). A total of 351 patients were retrospectively reviewed; all patients were diagnosed with TFBA at West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2015 to 2017. Univariate analyses and multivariate analysis were used. Age (<2 years) (P < .001), type of foreign body (plant) (P < .001), shape of foreign body (nonsmooth) (P < .001), and residence time of foreign body (>7 days) (P = .001) were risk factors for LRTI on univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed age (<2 years) (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.457; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.031–6.884; P < .001), type of foreign body (plant) (HR = 2.686; 95% CI = 1.577–3.452; P < .001), shape of foreign body (nonsmooth) (HR = 1.649; 95% CI = 1.437–3.663; P < .008), and residence time of foreign body (>7 days) (HR = 1.751; 95% CI = 1.329–3.554; P = .004) were independent risk factors for LRTI. Furthermore, children with LRTI also had longer lengths of hospital stays and antibiotic use than did children without LRTI. Age, plant foreign body, nonsmooth foreign body, and long-term incarceration were all independent risk factors for LRTI in children. These results can help us to select more appropriate intervention times and stratified treatment for children with TFBA.