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Hospitalization trends for paediatric asthma in eastern Finland: a 10-yr survey
K Korhonen1, T M Reijonen, K Malmström
1Dept of Paediatrics, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. kaj.korhonen@uku.fi
Insights
Childhood asthma hospitalizations in Finland doubled, but re-admissions decreased significantly. This shift in pediatric asthma care suggests improved management with inhaled steroids, especially for children over two years old.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood asthma prevalence and medication use have risen in eastern Finland over the past two decades.
- This trend necessitates an evaluation of its impact on pediatric asthma hospitalization rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the influence of increased asthma prevalence and medication use on childhood asthma hospitalizations.
- To analyze trends in asthma admissions, re-admissions, and length of stay in children under 16.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of patient-specific medical records from 1988-1997.
- Data collected included annual numbers of children treated for asthma, hospital periods, and hospitalization duration.
- Statistical analysis to determine significance of observed trends (p<0.001).
Main Results:
- Asthma admissions more than doubled, from 1.2 to 2.7 per 1,000 children.
- Re-admission rates significantly decreased from 28.1% to 8.7%.
- The youngest children (<2 yrs) showed the greatest increase in admissions, while older children (>2 yrs) saw a one-third decline in recent years.
Conclusions:
- Despite rising asthma prevalence, overall hospital admissions for children over two years old have declined.
- This improvement is partly attributed to reduced re-admissions, likely due to early diagnosis and increased use of inhaled corticosteroids.
- Further research into asthma management strategies for very young children is warranted.
Abstract:
The prevalence of childhood asthma has increased during the past 20 yrs in eastern Finland. The use of regular medication for asthma has, consequently, also risen at the same time. The aim of the present study was to assess how these factors have influenced hospitalization for asthma in children. Data concerning the annual number of children aged <16 yrs treated for asthma, their number of hospital periods, and length of hospitalization were collected using patient-specific medical records for the years 1988-1997. Admissions for asthma more than doubled (from 1.2 in 1,000 to 2.7 in 1,000) (p<0.001), whereas re-admissions decreased from 28.1% to 8.7% (p<0.001) during the study period. The greatest increase was seen among children aged <2 yrs, whereas during recent years the admission rate among children aged >2 yrs has declined by one-third. Despite the increased prevalence of asthma, the decline in admissions seen in all but the youngest children may, at least partly, be attributed to the decrease in re-admissions, resulting from the early onset and increased use of inhaled steroids.