Rehospitalization following Discharge from Newborn Nursery during Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Pandemic.

Publication/Presentation Date

10-1-2024

Abstract

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

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 (

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.

KEY POINTS: · Newborns rehospitalized during the pandemic had a shorter newborn nursery stay.. · Newborns in the pandemic had a higher rate of rehospitalization within 7 days of birth compared to year prior.. · More infants who required readmission during the pandemic were hospitalized for hyperbilirubinemia..

Volume

41

Issue

13

First Page

1828

Last Page

1835

ISSN

1098-8785

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences | Pediatrics

PubMedID

38471527

Department(s)

Department of Pediatrics

Document Type

Article

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