The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on pediatric hospitalization in Kitami, Japan

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has drastically changed the recommended activities and environment for patients worldwide. Our aim was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on pediatric hospitalizations in Kitami, Japan.

Methods: A retrospective, single-center study was conducted on hospitalized patients aged 0-14 years at the Japanese Red Cross Kitami Hospital. We compared the incidence of pediatric patients hospitalized in 2020 with those in 2017-2019.

Results: The number of pediatric hospitalized patients dropped significantly in 2020 compared to that in 2017-2019 (median 43.0 vs 78.5 per month, P < 0.001). The patients were significantly older in 2020 (4.3 vs 3.4 years, P < 0.001). Hospitalization from respiratory (8.5 vs 30.5, P < 0.001) and gastrointestinal infections (3.0 vs 6.0, P = 0.004) significantly decreased. Admission due to respiratory syncytial virus (0.0 vs 4.0, P < 0.001), human metapneumovirus (0.0 vs 1.0, P = 0.005), influenza (0.0 vs 0.0, P = 0.009), adenovirus (0.0 vs 1.0, P = 0.003), and rotavirus infection (0.0 vs 0.0, P = 0.025) also decreased significantly. The <1-5 age groups significantly decreased (<1 year old, 6.5 vs 12.5, P < 0.001; 1-3 years old, 13.0 vs 29.5, P < 0.001; 4-5 years old, 5.5 vs 11.5, P < 0.001). Hospitalization due to foreign body ingestions increased significantly in 2020 (1.0 vs 0.0, P = 0.010).

Conclusions: The COVID-19 control measures inadvertently reduced the number of hospitalized pediatric patients, especially younger children with respiratory and gastrointestinal infections.

Keywords: coronavirus; epidemiology; foreign body ingestion; gastrointestinal infection; respiratory infection.

Fig. 1

(a) Changes in the number of pediatric hospitalized patients over time. (b) Changes in the number of pediatric hospitalized patients for each infectious disease and others in each year. (a): (), 2017; (), 2018; (), 2019; (), 2020. (b): (), others; (), other infections; (), gastrointestinal infections; (), respiratory infections.

Fig. 2

(a) The number of pediatric hospitalized patients at each age. (b) The number of pediatric hospitalized patients for each infectious disease and others at each age in each year. (a): (), 2017; (), 2018; (), 2019; (), 2020. (b): (), others; (), other infections; (), gastrointestinal infections; (), respiratory infections.