Demographic factors associated with bronchiolitis readmission

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to evaluate patient characteristics and medical management and their association with readmission in children with bronchiolitis. METHODS: This retrospective chart review included children admitted with bronchiolitis to 2 children's hospitals. Reviewers selected charts based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, diagnosis and collected information on demographic characteristics, treatment, diagnostic testing, length of stay, and adverse outcomes. Univariate analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with any-cause readmission in 4 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 1229 patients met inclusion criteria. Younger children were more likely to be readmitted within 4 weeks of discharge compared with older children (mean age: 4.5 vs 5.7 months; P =.005). Readmissions did not differ based on length of stay, and no medical intervention was associated with risk for readmission. Of patients readmitted from the large service area hospital, 57% lived ≤20 miles away, compared with 26.9% of those who were not readmitted (P =.03). Patients from the lowest income zip codes within the catchment area of the small service area hospital were more likely to be readmitted compared with patients from the highest income zip codes (7.8% vs 0%; P =.025). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, 6.4% of hospitalized patients with bronchiolitis were readmitted. Our data did not identify any inpatient medical management or modifiable risk factor associated with readmission.