TY - JOUR
T1 - Rehospitalization Following Discharge from Newborn Nursery during Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic
AU - Ronca, Kristen
AU - Vazquez, Laura
AU - Bathory, Eleanor
AU - Nafday, Suhas
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Objective This study aimed to compare rehospitalization rates, diagnoses, and well-baby nursery (WBN) length of stay (LOS) among rehospitalized infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic to those born prior. Study Design A retrospective comparison of 215 infants rehospitalized from March 1, 2019 to March 1, 2021 was performed in an urban academic center. Rates of readmission were determined for all infants using an unadjusted odds ratio. Among infants rehospitalized at ≤30 and ≤7 days, key cohort characteristics were analyzed using chi-square analysis, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, and nonparametric testing as applicable. Differences in readmission diagnoses determined by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code and chart review were evaluated with multivariable logistic regression comparing infants born during the pandemic to the year prior. Results Pandemic infants had a 51% increased odds of rehospitalization ≤7 days of discharge from WBN compared with prepandemic infants (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.09–2.09). Rehospitalized infants born during the pandemic had shorter WBN LOS; infants rehospitalized ≤30 days had LOS of 54.3 ± 18.6 versus 59.6 ± 16.2 hours (p = 0.02) and infants rehospitalized ≤7 days had LOS of 53.8 ± 17.8 versus 60.8 ±17.0 hours (p = 0.02). The pandemic group of infants had a 3.5 increased odds of being readmitted for hyperbilirubinemia compared with other diagnoses after adjusting for biological sex, ethnicity, percent weight lost at time of discharge, gestational age, and mode of delivery (CI 1.9, 6.4). Conclusion Rehospitalization ≤7 days post-WBN discharge was more common in infants born during the pandemic. Infants rehospitalized during the pandemic were more likely to have shorter WBN LOS and to be rehospitalized for hyperbilirubinemia. Retrospective analyses limit conclusions about causation but suggest that being born during the pandemic increased risk of rehospitalization for hyperbilirubinemia among infants in urban, under resourced setting warranting further investigation.
AB - Objective This study aimed to compare rehospitalization rates, diagnoses, and well-baby nursery (WBN) length of stay (LOS) among rehospitalized infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic to those born prior. Study Design A retrospective comparison of 215 infants rehospitalized from March 1, 2019 to March 1, 2021 was performed in an urban academic center. Rates of readmission were determined for all infants using an unadjusted odds ratio. Among infants rehospitalized at ≤30 and ≤7 days, key cohort characteristics were analyzed using chi-square analysis, Fisher’s exact test, independent t-test, and nonparametric testing as applicable. Differences in readmission diagnoses determined by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code and chart review were evaluated with multivariable logistic regression comparing infants born during the pandemic to the year prior. Results Pandemic infants had a 51% increased odds of rehospitalization ≤7 days of discharge from WBN compared with prepandemic infants (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.09–2.09). Rehospitalized infants born during the pandemic had shorter WBN LOS; infants rehospitalized ≤30 days had LOS of 54.3 ± 18.6 versus 59.6 ± 16.2 hours (p = 0.02) and infants rehospitalized ≤7 days had LOS of 53.8 ± 17.8 versus 60.8 ±17.0 hours (p = 0.02). The pandemic group of infants had a 3.5 increased odds of being readmitted for hyperbilirubinemia compared with other diagnoses after adjusting for biological sex, ethnicity, percent weight lost at time of discharge, gestational age, and mode of delivery (CI 1.9, 6.4). Conclusion Rehospitalization ≤7 days post-WBN discharge was more common in infants born during the pandemic. Infants rehospitalized during the pandemic were more likely to have shorter WBN LOS and to be rehospitalized for hyperbilirubinemia. Retrospective analyses limit conclusions about causation but suggest that being born during the pandemic increased risk of rehospitalization for hyperbilirubinemia among infants in urban, under resourced setting warranting further investigation.
KW - COVID-19
KW - early discharge
KW - hyperbilirubinemia
KW - newborn nursery
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U2 - 10.1055/s-0044-1782145
DO - 10.1055/s-0044-1782145
M3 - Article
C2 - 38471527
AN - SCOPUS:85188152728
SN - 0735-1631
JO - American Journal of Perinatology
JF - American Journal of Perinatology
ER -