Asthma in paediatric intensive care in England residents: observational study

Abstract

Despite high prevalence of asthma in children in the UK, there were no prior report on asthma admissions in paediatric intensive care units (PICU). We investigated the epidemiology and healthcare resource utilisation in children with asthma presenting to PICUs in England. PICANet, a UK national PICU database, was queried for asthma as the primary reason for admission, of children resident in England from April 2006 until March 2013. There were 2195 admissions to PICU for a median stay of 1.4 days. 59% were males and 51% aged 0–4 years. The fourth and fifth most deprived quintiles represented 61% (1329) admissions and 73% (11) of the 15 deaths. Deaths were most frequent in 10–14 years age (n = 11, 73%), with no deaths in less than 5 years age. 38% of admissions (828/2193) received invasive ventilation, which was more frequent with increasing deprivation (13% (108/828) in least deprived to 31% (260/828) in most deprived) and with decreasing age (0–4-year-olds: 49%, 409/828). This first multi-centre PICU study in England found that children from more deprived neighbourhoods represented the majority of asthma admissions, invasive ventilation and deaths in PICU. Children experiencing socioeconomic deprivation could benefit from enhanced asthma support in the community.

Seven days in medicine: 26 Jan to 1 Feb 2022

“…Children under 15 from poorer areas in the UK make up almost 60% of emergency hospital admissions for asthma and have almost double the risk of needing ventilation, a study in Scientific Reports found 2. It also showed that children from poorer backgrounds accounted for almost 75% of deaths from asthma in paediatric intensive care units.…”

How do hospitals address health inequalities experienced by children and young people: a grey literature scoping review protocol

“… 16 A recent study found that 36% of children treated in intensive care units for asthma were from the most deprived neighbourhoods, compared with 11% from the least deprived neighbourhoods. 17 …”

“…In the UK, children living in areas of deprivation are more likely to suffer from conditions such as asthma, tooth decay, obesity and diabetes, as well as a higher risk of accidents and accidental death 16. A recent study found that 36% of children treated in intensive care units for asthma were from the most deprived neighbourhoods, compared with 11% from the least deprived neighbourhoods 17…”

External Validation of the Predicting Asthma Risk in Children (PARC) tool in a clinical cohort

“…1-4 Asthma also remains an important cause of morbidity later in childhood. 5,6 To reduce childhood asthma morbidity and overtreatment, it is important for clinicians to identify children with asthma early. For this, they require tools that help distinguish preschool children who are at risk of developing asthma from those who cough or wheeze for other reasons and will possibly outgrow their symptoms.…”