Pediatric Asthma Exacerbations: 14-Day Emergency Department Return Visit Risk Factors

Asthma, the most common chronic disease of childhood, can affect a child's physical and mental health and social and emotional development.

The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with emergency department (ED) return visits for asthma exacerbations within 14 days of an initial visit.

This was a retrospective review from Cerner Real-World Data for patients aged from 5 to 18 years and seen at an ED for an asthma exacerbation and discharged home at the index ED visit. Asthma visits were defined as encounters in which a patient was diagnosed with asthma and a beta agonist, anticholinergic, or systemic steroid was ordered or prescribed at that encounter. Return visits were ED visits for asthma within 14 days of an index ED visit. Data, including demographic characteristics, ED evaluation and treatment, health care utilization, and medical history, were collected. Data were analyzed via logistic regression mixed effects model.

A total of 80,434 index visits and 17,443 return visits met inclusion criteria. Prior ED return visits in the past year were associated with increased odds of a return visit (odds ratio [OR] 2.12; 95% CI 2.07-2.16). History of pneumonia, a concomitant diagnosis of pneumonia, and fever were associated with increased odds of a return visit (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.10-1.29; OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.04-1.28; OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.11-1.30, respectively).

Several variables seem to be associated with statistically significant increased odds of ED return visits. These findings indicate a potentially identifiable population of at-risk patients who may benefit from additional evaluation, planning, or education prior to discharge.