Background: Acute respiratory failure in children, often due to
pneumonia and bronchiolitis, commonly leads to acute lung
injury (ALI) and pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome
(PARDS) in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). The
neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a potential prognostic
marker for these conditions. This study aimed to evaluate NLR as
a predictor of disease severity and outcomes, including
mechanical ventilation and mortality, in pediatric chest infections
in the PICU. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 100
children admitted to the PICU at Benha University Hospital for
chest infections. Clinical data, lab results, and outcomes were
assessed for each patient. Results: Of the 100 children (56 males,
44 females), pneumonia was diagnosed in 70%. NLR was
significantly higher in patients needing mechanical ventilation
(p5.9, respectively. Conclusion: NLR is a
valuable, rapid, and cost-effective prognostic marker for
predicting the need for mechanical ventilation and mortality in
children with chest infections in the PICU.