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Impact of rotavirus infection at a large pediatric hospital
1Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
Insights
Rotavirus gastroenteritis significantly impacted children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Gastroenterology
- Public Health Surveillance
Background:
- Limited data exists on national rotavirus infection patterns in the USA.
- Rotavirus gastroenteritis poses a significant health burden in pediatric populations.
- Understanding rotavirus epidemiology is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of rotavirus gastroenteritis at a major children's hospital.
- To assess national patterns of rotavirus infection using hospital discharge data and laboratory results.
- To estimate the economic burden of rotavirus hospitalizations in the USA.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of discharge records and laboratory rotavirus detection from 1979-1989 at Texas Children's Hospital.
- Utilized combined laboratory results and ICD-9 diagnosis codes for improved rotavirus activity measurement.
- Developed a case definition for rotavirus infection hospitalizations to estimate patient numbers and costs.
Main Results:
- Increased rotavirus detection correlated with the availability of less expensive diagnostic assays post-1983.
- A significant portion of rotavirus-positive samples (67%) were from children with community-acquired acute gastroenteritis.
- An estimated 473 children were hospitalized annually for rotavirus infection, accounting for 3.0% of hospital days and $1.5 million in annual bed costs.
Conclusions:
- Combined diagnostic and coding data provide a more accurate measure of rotavirus activity.
- Rotavirus infection represents a substantial cause of pediatric hospitalizations and associated healthcare costs.
- Extrapolation suggests a significant national impact of rotavirus hospitalizations and costs in the USA.
Abstract:
Information is limited about national patterns of rotavirus infection throughout the USA. Discharge records and laboratory rotavirus detection for 1979-1989 at the Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, were evaluated to determine the impact of rotavirus gastroenteritis at a large children's hospital. The availability since 1983 of diagnostic assays less expensive than electron microscopy was associated with increased rotavirus detection. Only 67% of rotavirus-positive samples came from children likely to have had community-acquired acute gastroenteritis. Combined laboratory results and ICD-9 discharge diagnosis codes (008.6, 008.8, and 558.9) measured rotavirus activity better than either alone. A case definition for hospitalization for rotavirus infection resulted in an estimate that an average of 473 children were hospitalized for rotavirus infection at Texas Children's Hospital each year over the 10-year period. These cases accounted for 3.0% of all hospital days and $1.5 million per year in bed costs at this hospital. Hospitalization rates and the impact of hospital costs for the USA were estimated by extrapolation.