Trends in hospital admissions due to asthma in north-west Spain from 1995 to 2007.
OBJECTIVE
Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood. Hospital admissions in the child population appear to be reducing in different populations.


METHODS
We have retrospectively analysed admissions into hospitals in our region due to asthma in a 0 to 14 years population, between the years 1995 and 2007. The age, sex, date of admission, and length of hospital stay of each patient was recorded and analysed.


RESULTS
A total of 9106 admissions (64% males) have been included. A gradual trend towards a reduction in admissions is observed during the period analysed. There were more admissions in 1996, with 2.91 per thousand inhabitants, gradually reducing to 1.33 per thousand in 2007. There were more admissions in May and between September and December, being less frequent in July and August. The mean stay in this period was 4.18 days, which was stable during the whole period of the study. Older children tended to have a longer hospital stay.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows that admissions due to childhood asthma tend to be decreasing, particularly due to younger males, with no change in the length of hospital stay. Asthma exacerbations seemed to be associated with infections and exposure to allergens.
Barcala
F J Gonzalez
FJ
Servicio de Neumologia, Hospital de Pontevedra, Spain. fjgbarcala@telefonica.net
Viñas
J Aboal
JA
Cuadrado
L Valdes
LV
Bourdin
A
A
Dobaño
J M Alvarez
JM
Takkouche
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D013030:Spain