Yen CW, Yu MC, Lee J. Serum electrolyte abnormalities in pediatric patients presenting to an emergency department with various diseases: Age-related differences.
Pediatr Neonatol 2022;
63:575-581. [PMID:
35987755 DOI:
10.1016/j.pedneo.2022.04.008]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
Collapse