The changes of prevalence and etiology of pediatric pneumonia from National Emergency Department Information System in Korea, between 2007 and 2014

Shin, Eun Ju; Kim, Yunsun; Jeong, Jin-Young; Jung, Yu Mi; Lee, Mi-Hee; Chung, Eun Hee

The rate of ICU admission in this study varied greatly with age groups, with those <1 and 13-18 years of age showing particularly high ICU admission rates. Infants <1 year of age also had high rates of ED hospitalization, presumably due to factors related to their age. Newborn and infants <1 year of age accounted for the highest proportion of pediatric patients diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, because of their physiological tendency for gastro esophageal reflux. 27) The yearly ICU admission rate declined over the study period, from 2007 to 2014. Domestic humidifier disinfectants were used until 2011, therefore severe interstitial lung disease was nationally prevalent. Since 2011, the use of humidifier disinfectants has been banned, severe interstitial lung disease has been reduced. It would have contributed in part to the reduction in the hospitalization rate of pneumonia and the rate of admission to the ICU. 28) In this study, bacterial pneumonia and empyema found significant seasonality in December and May, respectively. This is similar to the results of previous studies in other areas of PCV introduction and the cause of seasonality in pneumococcal disease. 29, 30) These results suggest that prevention of severe pneumonia complications, vaccination and health measures are needed more.