Gastrostomy Tube Placement and Resource Use in Neonatal Hospitalizations With Down Syndrome

To determine the trends in gastrostomy tube (GT) placement and resource utilization in neonates ≥35 weeks' gestational age with Down syndrome (DS) in the United States from 2006 to 2017.

This was a serial cross-sectional analysis of neonatal hospitalizations of ≥35 weeks' gestational age with International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes for DS within the National Inpatient Sample. International Classification of Diseases procedure codes were used to identify those who had GT. The outcomes of interest were the trends in GT and resource utilization and the predictors of GT placement. Cochran-Armitage and Jonckheere-Terpstra trend tests were used for trend analysis of categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Predictors of GT placement were identified using multivariable logistic regression. P value <.05 was considered significant.

Overall, 1913 out of 51 473 (3.7%) hospitalizations with DS received GT placement. GT placement increased from 1.7% in 2006 to 5.6% in 2017 (P <.001), whereas the prevalence of DS increased from 10.3 to 12.9 per 10 000 live births (P <.001). Median length of stay significantly increased from 35 to 46 days, whereas median hospital costs increased from $74 214 to $111 360. Multiple comorbidities such as prematurity, sepsis, and severe congenital heart disease were associated with increased odds of GT placement.

There was a significant increase in GT in neonatal hospitalizations with DS, accompanied by a significant increase in resource utilization. Multiple comorbidities were associated with GT placement and the early identification of those who need GT could potentially decrease length of stay and resource use.