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How the Pandemic Impacted Resource Utilization in Hospitalized Children With Bacterial Infections. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2025 Sep;64(8):1123-1130

Date

02/24/2025

Pubmed ID

39991905

DOI

10.1177/00099228251318479

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-86000731115 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   1 Citation

Abstract

We compared the quantity of labs ordered in selected hospitalized children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilization of X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), echocardiograms, and electrocardiograms (ECG), length of stay (LOS) and timing of antibiotics were secondary outcomes. Retrospective cohort study of patients >60 days to <22 years with cellulitis, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections discharged from hospital medicine March 2018 to February 2020 (pre-) March 2020 to February 2022 (peak) and March 2022 to April 2023 (post peak). Fisher-Freeman-Halton exact test was performed for categorical variables. Kruskal-Wallis test compared continuous variables. Patients admitted peak pandemic incurred more labs and ECGs and fewer MRIs and X-rays. There were no differences in echocardiograms, LOS, or timing of antibiotics. While lab utilization returned to pre-pandemic levels, increased ECG use continued. Increased lab and ECG utilization was observed in patients with certain bacterial infections during the peak of the pandemic, likely reflective of diagnostic uncertainty.

Author List

McKinney CM, Mitchell ML, Preloger E, Graff K, Pan AY, Liegl M, Bushee G, McCarthy PJ, McFadden V, Bauer SC

Authors

Kelly E. Graff MD Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Vanessa Mcfadden MD Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Michelle Mitchell MD Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Amy Y. Pan PhD Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Erin M. Preloger MD Interim Chief, Associate Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Bacterial Infections
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Hospitalization
Humans
Infant
Length of Stay
Male
Pandemics
Retrospective Studies