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The effects of COVID-19 outbreak on pediatric emergency department admissions for acute wheezing

Lorenzo Di Sarno1, Antonietta Curatola1, Giorgio Conti2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.

Pediatric Pulmonology
|February 16, 2022
PubMed

Insights

The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures significantly reduced pediatric emergency department visits for acute wheezing by 83%. This decrease is likely due to fewer viral respiratory infections and reduced allergen exposure in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Acute wheezing is a common pediatric respiratory issue, often linked to viral infections, allergens, or foreign body inhalation.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic prompted widespread public health interventions to curb viral transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures on pediatric emergency department admissions for acute wheezing.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cross-sectional study compared patient demographics and clinical data.
  • Data from the COVID-19 outbreak period were analyzed against the preceding five years.

Main Results:

  • Pediatric emergency department admissions for acute wheezing dropped by an average of 83% during the COVID-19 outbreak compared to previous years.
  • Fewer viral infections were detected, and only two cases of wheezing were associated with SARS-CoV-2.
  • Children admitted during the pandemic were older on average, with a higher acuity presentation, but hospitalization rates remained unchanged.

Conclusions:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns led to a substantial decrease in pediatric acute wheezing admissions.
  • This reduction may be attributed to decreased circulation of common respiratory viruses and reduced aeroallergen exposure.
  • Further epidemiological studies are necessary to validate these preliminary findings.
Abstract

Keywords:
COVID-19childrenemergency departmentoutbreakwheezing

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