Open AccessSustained decrease in pediatric asthma emergency visits during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic
Author(s) -
Samantha Arsenault,
Jacob Hoofman,
Pavadee Poowuttikul,
Elizabeth Secord
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
allergy and asthma proceedings
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.643
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1539-6304
pISSN - 1088-5412
DOI - 10.2500/aap.2021.42.210059
Subject(s) - medicine , covid-19 , pandemic , asthma , medical emergency , emergency medicine , betacoronavirus , medline , virology , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , political science , law
Background: On January 20, 2020, the first documented case of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) was reported in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to report more morbidity and mortality in adults than in childr e n. Early in Pandemic, there was a concern that patients with asthma would be affected disproportionately from COVID-19, but this was not manifested. It is now recognized that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors that are used by the coronavirus for infection have low expression in children with atopy that may contribute to decreased infectivity in children who are atopic. There are several early reports of decreased emergency department (ED) visits for children with asthma. The authors previously reported a decrease in pediatric ED visits in the spring of 2020, which correlated with school closure. Objective: To determine if this trend of decreased ED visits for pediatric asthma was sustained throughout the first COVID-19 pandemic year. Methods: ED data from one inner city children's hospital were collected by using standard medical claims codes. Conclusion: We reported a sustained year of decreased ED visits for children with asthma in one pediatric ED in an inner-city hospital; this seemed to be secondary to school closure and decreased exposure to upper respiratory infections.