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Risk factors associated with recent opioid-related hospitalizations in children: a nationwide analysis
Anthony Ferrantella1, Carlos T Huerta1, Kirby Quinn2
1Division of Pediatric Surgery, DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, Suite 450K, Miami, FL, 33136, USA.
Insights
Identifying children at risk for opioid addiction is vital for prevention. Many pediatric opioid hospitalizations involve patients with prior admissions, often for non-surgical reasons like drug abuse or depression.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Public Health
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Opioid addiction is a growing concern in pediatric populations.
- Early identification of at-risk children is crucial for implementing preventative strategies.
- Previous hospitalizations may indicate underlying conditions or risk factors for opioid misuse.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify pediatric patients at risk for opioid addiction by examining their prior hospitalization history.
- To determine the characteristics of children previously hospitalized before an opioid-related admission.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Nationwide Readmissions Database (2010-2014).
- Analyzed hospitalizations for children aged 1-18 years with opioid-related admissions.
- Compared previous admissions within one year prior to the opioid-related event, including diagnoses and hospital patterns.
Main Results:
- Identified 51,349 opioid-related hospitalizations in children, with 0.8% in-hospital mortality.
- 17% of these children had at least one prior admission in the same year; 11% had five or more.
- Common prior diagnoses included drug abuse (37%), chronic pulmonary disease (18%), and depression (10%). Most prior admissions were to the same hospital.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric opioid-related hospitalizations frequently occur in children with multiple recent admissions, often to the same facility.
- A history of major surgery or cancer is uncommon among these previously hospitalized children.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions for children with a history of prior hospitalizations and specific comorbidities.
Purpose:
Identifying at-risk children can provide a crucial opportunity for preventative measures to avoid opioid addiction. This study sought to determine at-risk pediatric patients that were previously hospitalized due to other causes prior to their opioid-related admission.
Methods:
The Nationwide Readmissions Database (2010-2014) was queried for children 1-18 years old with an opioid-related hospitalization. Previous admissions (up to 1 year prior) and associated diagnoses were compared. Results were weighted for national estimates.
Results:
51,349 opioid-related hospitalizations were identified with an overall in-hospital mortality of 0.8%. Seventeen percent had a previous admission during the same calendar year of which 44% had > 1 and 11% had ≥ 5 prior admissions. Only 4% of prior admissions occurred at a different hospital. Males and females were equally represented, and 82% were ≥ 13 years old. Only 16% of previously admitted patients underwent a major surgical procedure during a previous hospitalization. The most common concomitant diagnoses for patients with prior hospitalizations were drug abuse (37%), chronic pulmonary disease (18%), and depression (10%).
Conclusion:
Opioid-related hospitalizations often occur among children with multiple recent admissions, usually to the same hospital. Most patients do not have a history of cancer or recent surgery to account for their opioid use.
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