Demographic, Laboratory Features, and Vaccination Status of Hospitalized Children Under 5 Years Old with Rotavirus Gastroenteritis

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics and vaccination status of patients under 5 years with rotavirus antigen-positive acute gastroenteritis (RVGE).
METHODS: Patients diagnosed with RVGE, who were admitted between December 1, 2017, and November 30, 2018, were included in the study. The demographic and laboratory characteristics and the vaccination status of the children were retrospectively evaluated.
RESULTS: Of the 194 patients included in the study, 115 (59.3%) were male and 79 (40.7%) were female. Children who breastfed for less than 6 months had a longer length of hospital stay (LOS) than those who breastfed for 6 months or more (p=0.001). LOS for unvaccinated children was longer than for vaccinated children (p=0.003). Children with blood group A had longer LOS than children with other blood groups. Children with significant stool leukocyte presence had longer LOS than those without stool leukocytes (p=0.013). The complication that significantly increased the LOS was hypokalemia (p=0.042).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Vaccination has a protective effect that reduces morbidity in children under 5 years with RVGE. Our study found that both breastfeeding and the rotavirus vaccine significantly reduced the length of hospital stay.