Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences

Background: This study evaluated the prevalence and frequency of serum electrolyte abnormalities (SEAs) in children presenting to a pediatric emergency department (PED) with various diseases. Methods: Pediatric patients (≤18 years) with blood electrolyte panels obtained in the PED of Lin-Kou Chang G...

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Main Authors: Chen-Wei Yen, Mei-Ching Yu, Jung Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-11-01
Series:Pediatrics and Neonatology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957222001450
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author Chen-Wei Yen
Mei-Ching Yu
Jung Lee
author_facet Chen-Wei Yen
Mei-Ching Yu
Jung Lee
author_sort Chen-Wei Yen
collection DOAJ
description Background: This study evaluated the prevalence and frequency of serum electrolyte abnormalities (SEAs) in children presenting to a pediatric emergency department (PED) with various diseases. Methods: Pediatric patients (≤18 years) with blood electrolyte panels obtained in the PED of Lin-Kou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, in the 5 years from January 1, 2016, to August 31, 2021, were enrolled in this retrospective observational study. Patients were divided into three age groups: Group A, < 4 years; Group B, 4–11 years; and Group C, 12–18 years. The associations between SEAs and clinical diseases in children and age-related differences were assessed. Results: This study included 182,058 pediatric patients visiting our PED over a 5-year period. A total of 250 (0.14%) patients with SEAs were included in the analysis. The study population consisted of 127 boys and 123 girls with a median (IQR) age of 9.0 (3.2–14.1) years. Hospital admission was required in 86.4% (n = 216) of the patients, and 32.4% (n = 81) of them were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The median (IQR) hospital stay and PICU stay was 6.5 (4.0–11.0) and 4.0 (3.0–8.0) days, respectively. The PICU stay was longer in Group A (p < 0.05) and shorter in group C (p < 0.05). Hyponatremia was the most common SEA in group A (46.3%, n = 31), while hypokalemia was common in groups B (54.2%, n = 52) and C (32.2%, n = 28). Gastrointestinal, renal, and endocrine diseases were common clinical conditions associated with SEAs in pediatric patients in our PED. Conclusion: The detection rate of SEAs in patients in the PED was 0.14%. Hyponatremia was a common SEA in pediatric patients aged <4 years, while the most common electrolyte disorder in those >4 years old was hypokalemia. In infants and young children, SEAs were associated with a longer PICU stay.
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spelling doaj-art-a6620801971f4e14844274e43bcaa2b32025-08-20T03:19:00ZengElsevierPediatrics and Neonatology1875-95722022-11-0163657558110.1016/j.pedneo.2022.04.008Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differencesChen-Wei Yen0Mei-Ching Yu1Jung Lee2Division of Pediatric General Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, TaiwanDepartment of Pediatric Nephrology, Lin-Kou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, TaiwanDivision of Pediatric General Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Corresponding author. Division of Pediatric General Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, No.5, Fuxing St., Guishan Dist., Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.Background: This study evaluated the prevalence and frequency of serum electrolyte abnormalities (SEAs) in children presenting to a pediatric emergency department (PED) with various diseases. Methods: Pediatric patients (≤18 years) with blood electrolyte panels obtained in the PED of Lin-Kou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, in the 5 years from January 1, 2016, to August 31, 2021, were enrolled in this retrospective observational study. Patients were divided into three age groups: Group A, < 4 years; Group B, 4–11 years; and Group C, 12–18 years. The associations between SEAs and clinical diseases in children and age-related differences were assessed. Results: This study included 182,058 pediatric patients visiting our PED over a 5-year period. A total of 250 (0.14%) patients with SEAs were included in the analysis. The study population consisted of 127 boys and 123 girls with a median (IQR) age of 9.0 (3.2–14.1) years. Hospital admission was required in 86.4% (n = 216) of the patients, and 32.4% (n = 81) of them were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The median (IQR) hospital stay and PICU stay was 6.5 (4.0–11.0) and 4.0 (3.0–8.0) days, respectively. The PICU stay was longer in Group A (p < 0.05) and shorter in group C (p < 0.05). Hyponatremia was the most common SEA in group A (46.3%, n = 31), while hypokalemia was common in groups B (54.2%, n = 52) and C (32.2%, n = 28). Gastrointestinal, renal, and endocrine diseases were common clinical conditions associated with SEAs in pediatric patients in our PED. Conclusion: The detection rate of SEAs in patients in the PED was 0.14%. Hyponatremia was a common SEA in pediatric patients aged <4 years, while the most common electrolyte disorder in those >4 years old was hypokalemia. In infants and young children, SEAs were associated with a longer PICU stay.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957222001450age-related differenceschildrenpediatric emergency departmentserum electrolyte abnormalities
spellingShingle Chen-Wei Yen
Mei-Ching Yu
Jung Lee
Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences
Pediatrics and Neonatology
age-related differences
children
pediatric emergency department
serum electrolyte abnormalities
title Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences
title_full Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences
title_fullStr Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences
title_full_unstemmed Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences
title_short Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences
title_sort serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases age related differences
topic age-related differences
children
pediatric emergency department
serum electrolyte abnormalities
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957222001450
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