Pertussis Severity Scale Medical Algorithm

Description

Preziosi and Halloran used a simple score to determine the severity of clinical symptoms in children with pertussis. The authors are from Emory University in Atlanta with the study performed in Dakar, Senegal.

Parameters:

(1) severity of cough

(2) apnea

(3) clinical evidence of bronchitis or bronchopneumonia on auscultation

(4) mechanical complication of cough (subconjunctival hemorrhage, umbilical hernia, inguinal hernia)

(5) facial swelling

(6) conjunctival injection

(7) post-tussive vomiting

Parameter	Finding	Points
cough	simple cough without paroxysms or whoops	0
	atypical paroxysms	1
	typical paroxysms without whoops	3
	typical paroxysms with whoops	4
apnea	absent	0
	present	6
bronchitis or bronchopneumonia	absent	0
	present	3
mechanical complication	absent	0
	present	3
facial swelling	absent	0
	present	3
conjunctival injection	absent	0
	present	3
post-tussive vomiting	absent	0
	present	2

total score =

= SUM(points for all 7 parameters)

Interpretation:

• minimum score: 0

• maximum score: 24

• The higher the score the more severe the disease.

Total Score	Disease Severity
<= 6	mild
>= 7	severe

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Description

Specialty

Objective

ICD-10

Symptom Severity Scale of Preziosi and Halloran for Pertussis in Children

Purpose: To determine the clinical symptom severity of a child with pertussis using the score of Preziosi and Halloran.

Description

Specialty

Objective

ICD-10