Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1994 Jan;49(1):33-6.
doi: 10.1136/thx.49.1.33.

Risk factors for readmission to hospital for asthma in childhood

E A Mitchell  1 , J M Bland, J M Thompson
Affiliations

Risk factors for readmission to hospital for asthma in childhood

E A Mitchell et al. Thorax. 1994 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Readmissions account for part of the increase in hospital admissions for asthma in childhood seen in many countries.

Methods: This observational study recorded demographic features and the severity, treatment and management of asthma in 1034 individual children admitted to hospital over a one year period, followed for a maximum of 33 months.

Results: Readmissions were common, with 33% readmitted by six months and 51% by two years. After controlling for a wide range of variables, factors that significantly increased readmission were: female sex (relative risk (RR) 1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03 to 1.46), young age (age < 5 years RR 1.71; 95% CI 1.41 to 2.08), number of previous admissions (one previous admission RR 1.32; two, RR 1.68; three, RR 2.00; four or more, RR 2.80), and inpatient intravenous treatment (RR 1.29; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.55). Inpatient treatment with theophylline was used frequently (98.4%), but was associated with decreased readmissions (RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.92). Factors which did not predict readmission included ethnicity, respiratory and pulse rate, medical team, prescribed prophylactic treatment, type of follow up, or the use of action plans.

Conclusions: Risk factors for readmission relate to the characteristics of the individual (age and sex), severity of the condition (intravenous treatment), and number of previous admissions which may reflect severity or behaviour of the illness. Medical treatment and management did not influence readmissions. Strategies to reduce the high readmission rate for asthma in childhood need to be developed.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. N Z Med J. 1984 Feb 8;97(749):67-70 - PubMed
    1. N Z Med J. 1992 Sep 9;105(941):353-5 - PubMed
    1. Arch Dis Child. 1985 Jul;60(7):636-9 - PubMed
    1. Arch Dis Child. 1986 Jan;61(1):1-3 - PubMed
    1. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1987 Sep;80(3 Pt 2):506-11 - PubMed