Pediatric emergency revisits of children with COVID-19.
Postgrad Med
; 135(4): 379-385, 2023 May.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2290781
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
This study was conducted to reveal the characteristics of pediatric emergency revisits of children with COVID-19 and the factors associated with clinical worsening and hospitalization at the revisit. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
In pediatric emergency visits of children between July 2020 and March 2021 with COVID-19, the patients who had a revisit within 7 days were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics, test results, and the relationship of these variables with clinical worsening and hospitalization at the revisit were investigated.RESULTS:
In 6779 children with COVID-19, 284 (4.1%) patients included in the study. 51.8% of the patients were male, the median age was 11.1 years, and median time to revisit time was 2.0 days. The rates of clinical worsening and hospitalization were 9.1% and 14.7%, respectively. Children younger than 24 months and those with chronic diseases were more commonly hospitalized at the revisit. Though the frequency of laboratory and radiologic testing at the revisit was significantly increased compared to the first presentation, tests did not play an important role in the decision-making processes. More than 85% of patients were clinically mild at the first presentation and revisit.CONCLUSIONS:
Children with a diagnosis of COVID-19 can revisit the emergency without evident clinical worsening. Since revisits cause increase in frequency of laboratory and radiological testing, preventing unnecessary revisits of children with COVID-19 can reduce the workload and cost of health care services. We may consider changing our perspective on revisit patients to make decisions based on clinical findings instead of obtaining for more laboratory tests.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Patient Readmission
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Language:
English
Journal:
Postgrad Med
Year:
2023
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
00325481.2022.2157634
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