RESUMEN
Objetivo. Evaluar el signo del cabeceo como indicador de hipoxemia en ninos con neumonia. Material y metodos. Se estudiaron 62 menores de 5 anos de edad. Se definio hipoxemia a la saturacion de oxigeno <94 por ciento registrada mediante oximetria de pulso. La validez del signo se evaluo mediante tres puntos de corte (<94 por ciento, . 90 por ciento, . 84 por ciento). Resultados. La prevalencia de hipoxemia fue de 56.5 por ciento. El cabeceo se encontro en 40 (64.5 por ciento) pacientes, de ellos, 30 tenian neumonia y 73.1 por ciento presentaba hipoxemia. El cabeceo mostro una sensibilidad de 73.2 por ciento y una especificidad de 52.4 por ciento. La precision del signo fue mayor al usar el nivel de corte <94 por ciento. El cabeceo fue un mejor indice de hipoxemia en ninos menores de 1 ano. Conclusiones. El cabeceo es un buen predictor de hipoxemia en ninos con neumonia. Es un signo facilmente reconocible que puede ser ensenado a padres y trabajadores de la salud.
Objective. To assess the clinical usefulness of the head nodding sign (HN) in children with pneumonia. Material and Methods. Cross-sectional study that included 62 children aged 2-59 months. Hypoxemia was defined as arterial oxygen saturation <94 percent measured by pulse oximetry. HN was examined with regard to three levels of hypoxemia (<94 percent, . 90 percent, . 84 percent). Results. The overall prevalence of hypoxemia was 56.5 percent. HN was observed in 64.5 percent (40) of the patients, 48.4 percent (30) of those had pneumonia and 73.1 percent were hypoxemic. HN showed a sensitivity of 73.2 percent and a specificity of 52.4 percent. Accuracy of HN was better when a cut off level <94 percent was used. HN in infants was a better index for hypoxemia than for older children. Conclusions. HN was a good predictor of hypoxemia in children with pneumonia. It seems that HN is an easily recognizable sign, and it could be easily taught to parents and health workers.