Diagnostic challenges in childhood pneumonia: Lessons learnt in selecting a reference standard for validating new respiratory rate counting aids

In the absence of aetiology-based tools for diagnosing pneumonia, it is essential that community health workers (CHWs) correctly measure a child’s respiratory rate (RR) and classify fast breathing according to World Health Organization guidelines. When introducing new RR counting devices, it is important to understand their accuracy.

The Pneumonia Diagnostics Project (PDP) tested four manual RR counters with CHWs across four countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia from February-June 2015. Reference standard was a continuous respiratory patient monitor with Phasein ISA CO2 capnography counting RR.

Another project, the Acute Respiratory Infection Diagnostic Aid (ARIDA) project, tested the Children’s Automated Respiration Monitor (ChARM) against a reference standard of two to four pediatricians (video expert panel) who counted the child’s breaths during a 60 second video recording.

This presentation, delivered at the 67th annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, presents findings from these evaluations.

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Country: Ethiopia

Diseases: Pneumonia