Hospitalizations for bronchiolitis among infants before and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an area-based study of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy.

IF 3.2 3区医学 Q1 PEDIATRICS

Italian Journal of Pediatrics Pub Date : 2025-02-07 DOI:10.1186/s13052-025-01871-6

Elisa Ballardini, Marco Manfrini, Silvia Fattori, Elena Pellacani, Branislava Ćosić, Giancarlo Gargano, Alberto Berardi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Bronchiolitis is the most frequent lower respiratory tract infection and a leading cause of hospitalization in infants. Our aim was to assess the incidence and characteristics of bronchiolitis requiring hospital admission in an Italian region before and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Methods: This area-based retrospective study analyses 4,396 hospital discharge records (HDR) of children under 1 year of age admitted with a diagnosis of bronchiolitis (ICD9-CM codes 466.11 and 466.19), in Emilia-Romagna (Italy) from January1st, 2018 to December 31th, 2021. Weighted t-testing and Z-testing was carried out.

Results: in the study period, 2-4% of infants were admitted for bronchiolitis (10% of all admissions under 1 year) and 59% of them were aged less than 90 days. After a significant decrease in 2020, bronchiolitis resurged in 2021, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases reached 82%. RSV cases were more likely to undergo non-invasive ventilation (NIV), oxygen supplementation and to receive i.v. (intravenous) infusions. There was an overall increasing trend in NIV and oxygen supplementation, and a decreasing trend in chest X-rays.

Conclusions: This area-based study shows reduced hospital admissions due to bronchiolitis during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and a resurgence of RSV infection after the easing of preventive measures. We also provide information on length of stay and need for hospital treatments. These area-based information will be helpful in assessing the impact of future universal prevention measures.

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来源期刊

Italian Journal of Pediatrics PEDIATRICS-

CiteScore

6.10

自引率

13.90%

发文量

192

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Italian Journal of Pediatrics is an open access peer-reviewed journal that includes all aspects of pediatric medicine. The journal also covers health service and public health research that addresses primary care issues. The journal provides a high-quality forum for pediatricians and other healthcare professionals to report and discuss up-to-the-minute research and expert reviews in the field of pediatric medicine. The journal will continue to develop the range of articles published to enable this invaluable resource to stay at the forefront of the field. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, which commenced in 1975 as Rivista Italiana di Pediatria, provides a high-quality forum for pediatricians and other healthcare professionals to report and discuss up-to-the-minute research and expert reviews in the field of pediatric medicine. The journal will continue to develop the range of articles published to enable this invaluable resource to stay at the forefront of the field.