Allergy Asthma Immunol Res.  2016 May;8(3):223-229. 10.4168/aair.2016.8.3.223.

Seasonal Patterns of Asthma in Children and Adolescents Presenting at Emergency Departments in Korea

• Won YK
• Hwang TH
• Roh EJ
• Chung EH

• KMID: 2391042
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aair.2016.8.3.223

Abstract

PURPOSE
Seasonal variations in asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits have long been recognized. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal patterns of asthma in children and adolescents who presented at emergency departments in Korea.
METHODS
We analyzed the National Emergency Department Information System records from 117 emergency departments in Korea that comprised all of the patients with asthma who were aged 3-18 years and who presented at the emergency departments from 2007 to 2012. The children and adolescents were divided into 3 groups based on their ages, namely, 3-6 years, 7-12 years, and 13-18 years. The data were tabulated, and graphs were created to show the seasonal trends in the monthly numbers of emergency department visits as a consequence of asthma.
RESULTS
A total of 41,128 subjects were identified, and the male-to-female ratio was 1:0.5. General ward admissions comprised 42.6% (n=17,524 patients) of the emergency department visits, and intensive care unit admissions comprised 0.8% (n=335 patients) of the emergency department visits. The monthly numbers of emergency department visits for asthma varied according to the season, with high peaks during fall, which was from September to November, and low levels in summer, which was from June to August.
CONCLUSIONS
Important differences in the seasonal patterns of emergency department visits for asthma were evident in children and adolescents. Identifying seasonal trends in asthma-related emergency department visits may help determine the causes and reduce the likelihood of asthma exacerbation.

Keyword

Asthma; emergency department; child; adolescent; seasons; epidemiology

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Asthma*
Child*
Emergencies*
Emergency Service, Hospital*
Epidemiology
Hospitalization
Humans
Information Systems
Intensive Care Units
Korea*
Patients' Rooms
Seasons*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Monthly asthma-related emergency department visits at ages between 3 and 18 years, by year from 2007 to 2012.

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  Fig. 2 Monthly asthma-related emergency department visits at ages between 3 and 18 years, by age from 2007 to 2012.

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  Fig. 3 Monthly asthma-related emergency department visits at ages between 3 and 18 years, by region from 2007 to 2012.

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  Fig. 4 Monthly general ward hospitalizations as a result of the emergency department examinations for asthma at ages between 3 and 18 years, from 2007 to 2012.

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  Fig. 5 Monthly intensive care unit hospitalizations as a result of the emergency department examinations for asthma at ages between 3 and 18 years, from 2007 to 2012.

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