tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Epidemiol Prev
. Nov-Dec 2021;45(6):528-532.
doi: 10.19191/EP21.6.112.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in children in the Autonomous Province of Trento (Northern Italy), year 2020
Francesca Valent[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maria Adalgisa Gentilini[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Pirous Fateh-Moghdam[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Background: hospitalization rate of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection can be considered as an indicator of severe COVID-19 burden. In children, however, hospital admissions may overestimate such burden.
Objectives: to describe the hospitalizations with COVID-19-related discharge diagnoses in the population <18 years of age in the 545,000 inhabitants of the Autonomous Province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige Region, North-Eastern Italy) in year 2020.
Design: hospitalization characteristics and main and secondary discharge diagnosis codes were abstracted from anonymous hospital discharge records in all cases with at least one COVID-19-specific ICD-9-CM code. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: hospitalized patients 0-17 and >=18 years of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: in-hospital deaths, median length of stay and cost, frequency of main discharge diagnoses.
Results: from March to December 2020, 61 admissions with COVID-19-specific codes regarded patients 0-17 years and 3,811 patients >=18 years. No in-hospital deaths were observed in the younger group. Median hospital stay was not significantly different in the two groups, but cost was higher among patients >=18 years. In adult patients, more than 70% had a pneumonia or other lung or respiratory disease main discharge diagnosis; in children, they were only 6.5%. Almost half of the children admitted with SARS-CoV-2 infection had a main discharge diagnosis of either trauma or encounter with the health system for procedures and aftercare (ICD-9-CM V-codes).
Conclusions: in the Province of Trento, a considerable proportion of hospitalizations of young patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection may be due to other underlying conditions requiring hospital care, supporting the hypothesis that hospitalization rate might overestimate the burden of serious COVID-19 in children.
Keywords: COVID-19; Children; Discharge diagnosis; Hospital discharge records; SARS-CoV-2.
. Nov-Dec 2021;45(6):528-532.
doi: 10.19191/EP21.6.112.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in children in the Autonomous Province of Trento (Northern Italy), year 2020
Francesca Valent[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Maria Adalgisa Gentilini[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Pirous Fateh-Moghdam[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 35001597
- DOI: 10.19191/EP21.6.112
Abstract
Background: hospitalization rate of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection can be considered as an indicator of severe COVID-19 burden. In children, however, hospital admissions may overestimate such burden.
Objectives: to describe the hospitalizations with COVID-19-related discharge diagnoses in the population <18 years of age in the 545,000 inhabitants of the Autonomous Province of Trento (Trentino-Alto Adige Region, North-Eastern Italy) in year 2020.
Design: hospitalization characteristics and main and secondary discharge diagnosis codes were abstracted from anonymous hospital discharge records in all cases with at least one COVID-19-specific ICD-9-CM code. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: hospitalized patients 0-17 and >=18 years of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: in-hospital deaths, median length of stay and cost, frequency of main discharge diagnoses.
Results: from March to December 2020, 61 admissions with COVID-19-specific codes regarded patients 0-17 years and 3,811 patients >=18 years. No in-hospital deaths were observed in the younger group. Median hospital stay was not significantly different in the two groups, but cost was higher among patients >=18 years. In adult patients, more than 70% had a pneumonia or other lung or respiratory disease main discharge diagnosis; in children, they were only 6.5%. Almost half of the children admitted with SARS-CoV-2 infection had a main discharge diagnosis of either trauma or encounter with the health system for procedures and aftercare (ICD-9-CM V-codes).
Conclusions: in the Province of Trento, a considerable proportion of hospitalizations of young patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection may be due to other underlying conditions requiring hospital care, supporting the hypothesis that hospitalization rate might overestimate the burden of serious COVID-19 in children.
Keywords: COVID-19; Children; Discharge diagnosis; Hospital discharge records; SARS-CoV-2.