The research aimed to study the association of clinical course and inflammatory markers with the risk of severe community-acquired
pneumonia in children and to define the diagnostic and prognostic significance of individual markers. A new modified prognostic
scale, which includes clinical, laboratory and instrumental indicators, was used for the retrospective analysis and risk stratification of
the severe pneumonia course in children. The study involved 70 pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia divided into
two clinical groups – patients with the low (group I) and moderate (group II) risk of severe pneumonia. A complex examination of
patients included the study of the leukogram, serum ceruloplasmin levels, and cellular composition of spontaneous and induced
sputum, as well as analysis of the extent and duration of antibacterial therapy. It was found, that in comparison to the group I, in
patients from the group II clinical signs of disease and laboratory markers of inflammation remained longer, which required
extended and more aggressive antibacterial therapy. It was shown, that the use of the modified prognostic scale is beneficial for
optimization predicting severity and management of community-acquired pneumonia in children.
Keywords: pediatric pneumonia, scoring scale, inflammatory markers