Work of Breathing: Physiology, Measurement, and Diagnostic Value in Childhood Pneumonia

Abstract

In clinical practice, increased “work of breathing” (WOB) is used to rapidly identify the acutely ill child in need of immediate clinical care, and is commonly used to support a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia. However, this key clinical sign is poorly understood and inconsistently defined. This review discusses the physiology, measurement, and clinical assessment of WOB, highlighting its utility in the recognition of pneumonia in under-resourced settings, where access to diagnostic imaging may be limited.

Keywords

• work of breathing
• respiratory distress
• pneumonia
• clinical signs
• review