30-day readmission rate in pediatric otorhinolaryngology inpatients: comparison of the year 2015 with a year of COVID-19-pandemia

ABSTRACT

Introduction The COVID pandemia led to a change in patient structure in German ENT clinics. Material/Methods The 30-day readmission rate of children in the ENT clinic of the Jena University Hospital from 01/01/2015 to 12/31/2015 was compared with the period from 07/01/2020 to 06/30/2021. Results In 2015, a total of 459 patients under the age of 18 were treated. In contrast, within one year of the COVID-19 pandemia, only 56 children and adolescents received inpatient therapy. Both groups were similar in terms of age and gender (group 2015 age 5.5 ± 4.4 years (mean ± standard deviation), 56 % male;group COVID-19 age 5.1 ± 3.4 years;58.9 % male). In 2015, 57.7 % of the patients were hospitalized for adenoid and / or tonsillar hyperplasia. In 2020/21 it was only 44.6 %. The 30-day readmission in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic was 12.5 %, significantly higher than in 2015 with 4.4 %. While only 30 % of readmissions were planned in 2015, this was 71.4 % at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2015, secondary bleeding was the cause of readmission in 20 %. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was not a single case of readmission due to secondary bleeding. Summary A changed patient spectrum due to the COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on the 30-day readmission rate of children in the ENT clinic. This must be taken into account in future therapy.