Effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on morbidity among children hospitalized for an asthma exacerbation.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
; 129(2): 194-198.e1, 2022 08.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35398491
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Pediatric asthma exacerbations account for substantial morbidity, including emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Although the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was associated with a decrease in pediatric asthma ED visits and hospitalizations, there is limited information on the clinical characteristics of children hospitalized with an asthma exacerbation during the pandemic.OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the clinical characteristics of children hospitalized with an asthma exacerbation during the pandemic as compared with those hospitalized during the same months in the year prior.METHODS:
A retrospective case-control study was conducted at the Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, comparing demographic and clinical characteristics of all children, 2 to 18 years old, hospitalized for an asthma exacerbation between April to September 2020 (cases) and April to September 2019 (controls).RESULTS:
We identified 50 cases and 243 controls. Cases were significantly older than controls (9.8 ± 4.3 years vs 6.7 ± 3.8 years; P < .001), had significantly less eczema (16% vs 32.1%; P = .02) and food allergies (6% vs 18.5%; P = .03), and were more noncompliant with controller medications (46% vs 24.7%; P = .002) than controls. Magnesium sulfate was more frequently administered in the ED to the cases than to the controls (84% vs 63%; P = .004). Its use was associated with older age, African American race, and Hispanic ethnicity, but was independent of comorbid conditions.CONCLUSION:
Patients hospitalized for asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic were older and have less atopy than those hospitalized prepandemic. A larger proportion received magnesium sulfate in the ED, suggesting patients had with more severe asthma presentation during the pandemic.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Asthma
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
Journal subject:
ALERGIA E IMUNOLOGIA
Year:
2022
Document type:
Article