RELATED FACTORS TO THE SEVERITY OF HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IN CHILDREN TREATED AT CAN THO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL 2022-2023

Abstract

Background: Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is an acute infectious disease caused by an intestinal virus with typical clinical manifestations: bullous rash on the hands, feet, buttocks, or mouth ulcers. The disease can spread very quickly from one child to another through two fecaloral and respiratory routes. Hand, foot, and mouth disease is one of the most common acute infectious diseases in Vietnam. Most cases of the disease are mild. However, the disease can become severe and cause dangerous complications leading to death if not detected early and treated promptly. Objectives: 1) To describe the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of hand, foot, and mouth disease in children treated at the Infection Department of Can Tho Children's Hospital. 2) To analyze factors related to the severity of hand, foot, and mouth disease in children treated at the Infection Department of Can Tho Children's Hospital. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study with analysis. Results: General characteristics for men (60.5%), age group 12-24 months 43.5%, the reason for hospitalization is fever (95.5%), mouth ulcers (66.5%), rash, acne water (39%). The severity of hand, foot, and mouth disease is statistically significantly related to white blood cell count >=16x1G/l (p=0.0001) and platelet count >=400x109/l (p=0.0001). There is no relationship between hand, foot, and mouth severity with gender characteristics (p=0.980), age group (p=0.259), diet in the first 6 months (p=0.566), and education level (p=0.293), place of residence (p=0.948), number of days of onset before admission (p=0.171) and initial management (p=0.701). Conclusion: Factors such as white blood cell count (p = 0.001) and platelet count (p = 0.001) were statistically significant in the severity of hand, foot, and mouth disease (p < 0.05). There is no relationship between age group, gender, diet, education level, number of days of onset, and initial treatment with the severity of HFMD.