METABOLIC PROFILING OF PERIPHERAL MONOCYTES AS A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR COMMUNITY ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA IN INFANTS WITH CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS

Respiratory infections remain a significant cause of infant mortality and morbidity worldwide. The clinical management of community-acquired pneumonia becomes particularly complex when it occurs alongside congenital heart defects. These cardiac anomalies disrupt normal blood flow and oxygenation, creating a challenging environment for the immune system. Understanding how immune cells like monocytes adapt or fail at a metabolic level during this combined pathology is crucial for developing more precise diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for vulnerable pediatric patients.