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Seasonal pattern of emergency department visits by children with asthma
Uğur Altaş1, Yakup Söğütlü2, Zeynep Meva Altaş3
1University of Health Sciences Istanbul Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Clinic, Istanbul, Türkiye.
Insights
Pediatric asthma emergency visits in Istanbul decreased significantly between 2017 and 2022. Asthma attacks were most frequent in winter months, particularly January, with a notable increase in younger children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Respiratory Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Understanding seasonal factors is crucial for managing childhood asthma effectively.
- Asthma remains a significant public health concern, necessitating research into its temporal patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the seasonal variations in asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits among children in Istanbul.
- To analyze trends in pediatric asthma ED visits over a six-year period.
Main Methods:
- A descriptive study analyzed pediatric asthma ED visits at a tertiary hospital in Istanbul from 2017 to 2022.
- Data included patient demographics, diagnosis confirmation via clinical assessment, and seasonal visit counts.
- Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 25.0.
Main Results:
- Asthma-related ED visits decreased from 10.4% in 2017 to 3.6% in 2022, with a total decline from 19,685 to 7,485 visits.
- Children aged 0-5 years accounted for the highest proportion of visits (64-72.8%).
- Peak ED visits occurred in winter months (January, December), with specific increases noted in October and November.
Conclusions:
- A significant reduction in pediatric asthma ED visits was observed over the study period.
- Seasonal patterns indicate a higher incidence of asthma exacerbations during autumn and winter months.
- Targeted interventions during these peak seasons may help reduce emergency visits.
Background:
It is important to understand the factors associated with seasonal asthma attacks among children so we can evaluate them appropriately.
Aim:
The study examined the seasonal variation of asthma-related emergency department visits by children in Istanbul.
Methods:
This descriptive study examined all paediatric patients with asthma who visited the paediatric emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Istanbul, Türkiye, between January 2017 and December 2022. Asthma diagnosis was based on physical examination and clinical history of the patients and asthma-related visits during winter, spring, summer, and autumn were considered repeated measurements. Data analysis was done using SPSS 25.0.
Results:
Visits by asthmatic children to the emergency department constituted 4.9% of all visits. Some 56.9% of the asthmatic children were male and 43.1% were female. Asthma-related emergency department visits were 10.4% in 2017 and 3.6% in 2022. Visits to paediatric emergency departments due to asthma decreased from 19 685 in 2017 to 7485 in 2022. Between 2017 and 2022, children aged 0-5 years represented the highest proportion of visits (64-72.8%). Asthmatic children aged 0-5 years and 6-11 years were admitted to the hospital mostly in January (13.5%, 13.5%) and December (12.8%, 14.0%). In the age group 12-18 years, the visits occurred mostly in January (11.9%) and March (11.2%).
Conclusion:
The frequency and number of asthma-related visits to the paediatric emergency department decreased over the 6-year period of this study. There were increases in visits in October, November, December, and January, and decreases in June, July and August.
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