Latent Class analysis among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children hospitalised with bronchiolitis from the Northern Territory

Bronchiolitis is a significant health burden in infants globally, particularly among Indigenous populations. In this study, we aimed (1) to identify severe bronchiolitis profiles for this high-risk population by using a clustering method Latent Class Analysis (LCA). (2) to determine whether LCA could identify distinct clinical profiles for infants at-risk for bronchiectasis.
The demographic and clinical data for 164 Indigenous infants were included in this study. Severe Bronchiolitis profiles were determined by LCA based on the viral clinical factors chosen from Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA).
Five clinical classes of severe bronchiolitis were identified. Class 2 (24%) was the group more likely to prolong hospital stay for the old infants. Infants were characterized by 100% requiring oxygen (along with class 5), marked accessory muscle use (48%), LOS 72-96-hours (48% vs 0-30% in other classes). Class 5 was identified the most severe group (7%) of infants who mostly live remotely (100% vs 74-87% for other classes); have moderate accessory muscle use (85% vs 0-52%); bacteria detected (93% vs 55-71%); and had bronchiectasis (96% vs 0-35%). All infants in class 5(as per class 2) required oxygen vs 23-79% from the remaining classes.
By using LCA, severe bronchiolitis profiles were identified for older infants and younger infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis. Accessory muscle use was identified as a key factor for old infants with prolonged hospital stay. Any bacteria detected was the key factor in our LCA model for older infants from the remote area to develop future bronchiectasis.