Table 1

Characteristics of patients with invasive bacterial infections and patients without invasive bacterial infections

Invasive bacterial infection (n=135)No invasive bacterial infection (n=16 133)
n (%)Missingn (%)Missing
Age in years, median (IQR)3.2 (0.8–6.0)2.8 (1.4–6.0)
Female76 (56.2)8932 (55.4)
Underlying chronic condition289
 Any68 (50.4)3005 (18.6)
 Complex50 (37.0)1008 (6.2)
Referred96 (71.1)38633 (53.5)936
Triage urgency5477
 Low: standard, non-urgent41 (30.4)9242 (57.3)
 High: immediate, very urgent, intermediate89 (65.9)6414 (39.8)
Feverkidstool
 Temperature in °C, median (IQR)38.0 (37.4–38.7)337.8 (37.0–38.5)764
 Fever duration in days, median (IQR)0.5 (0.5–3)51.5 (0.5–3)817
 Tachypnoea (APLS)38 (28.1)373345 (20.7)3919
 Tachycardia (APLS)81 (60.0)55578 (34.6)821
 Hypoxia <95%4 (2.9)13749 (4.6)2373
 Prolonged capillary refill (>3 s)8 (5.9)29305 (1.9)2311
 Increased work of breathing11 (8.1)40887 (5.5)2136
 Ill appearance60 (44.4)134398 (27.3)610
 CRP in mg/L, median (IQR)61 (21–144)16 (5–45)
NICE warning signs
 Decreased level of consciousness6 (4.4)137 (0.8)141
 Meningeal signs8 (5.9)24116 (0.7)845
 Focal neurology2 (1.5)2995 (0.6)1249
 Status epilepticus0 (0.0)849 (0.3)887
 Rash: petechiae/non-blanching10 (7.4)25640 (3.9)1183
Blood cultures performed134 (99.3)3002 (18.6)
CSF performed25 (18.5)381 (2.4)
Admission to the ward >24 hours111 (82.2)15879 (36.4)159
Admission to the ICU10 (7.4)125 (0.8)17
Antibiotic treatment following ED visit126 (93.3)5804 (35.9)197
LSI: airway, breathing or haemodynamic support16 (11.9)343 (2.1)
  • APLS, advanced paediatric life support; CRP, C reactive protein; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; ED, emergency department; ICU, intensive care unit; LSI, life-saving intervention; NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.