Pediatric Cholelithiasis in the United States: National Hospitalization Trends, 2006 to 2019

Previous studies have shown increasing hospitalizations for pediatric cholelithiasis, but recent trends are unknown. We conducted a national study of pediatric cholelithiasis to characterize recent hospitalization rate trends.

Retrospective repeated cross-sectional analysis of pediatric (age < 18 years) cholelithiasis-associated hospitalizations combining data from the 2006 through 2019 Kids' Inpatient Database releases. The primary outcome of interest was the national hospitalization rate (per 100,000 children). We examined rates stratified by age group and sex and characterized hospitalization outcomes and characteristics for pediatric cholelithiasis.

Twenty-nine thousand one hundred two hospital records representing 42,282 gallstone-associated hospitalizations were identified. The hospitalization rate declined from 12.9 [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.6-13.2] in 2006 to 9.1 (95% CI: 8.8-9.3) in 2019. Consistent with the literature, hospitalizations occurred most often among teenagers (71%) and individuals with female sex (72%). The proportion of hospitalizations at freestanding children's hospitals increased significantly (from 18.2% to 35.1%). Finally, the proportion of hospitalizations involving a potentially medical predisposing condition increased significantly.

The estimated US hospitalization rate for pediatric cholelithiasis declined by 30% between 2006 and 2019. Female patients and teenagers had the largest decline, and hospitalizations increasingly occurred at freestanding children's hospitals. Potential explanations include potential changes in delivery of care as well as changes in population disease burden.