Emergency Department Visits by Children With Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

BackgroundData related to the epidemiology and resource utilization of congenital heart disease (CHD)–related emergency department (ED) visits in the pediatric population is limited. ObjectivesThe purpose of this analysis was to describe national estimates of pediatric CHD-related ED visits and evaluate medical complexity, admissions, resource utilization, and mortality. MethodsThis was an epidemiological analysis of ED visit-level data from the 2006 to 2014 Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Patients age <18 years with CHD were identified using International Classification of Diseases-9th Revision-Clinical Modification codes. We evaluated time trends using weighted regression and tested the hypothesis that medical complexity, resource utilization, and mortality are higher in CHD patients. ResultsA total of 420,452 CHD-related ED visits (95% confidence interval [CI]: 416,897 to 422,443 visits) were identified, accounting for 0.17% of all pediatric ED visits. Those with CHD were more likely to be <1 year of age (43% vs. 13%), and to have ≥1 complex chronic condition (35% vs. 2%). CHD-related ED visits had higher rates of inpatient admission (46% vs. 4%; adjusted odds ratio: 1.89; 95% CI: 1.85 to 1.93), higher median ED charges ($1,266 [interquartile range (IQR): $701 to $2,093] vs. $741 [IQR: $401 to $1,332]), and a higher mortality rate (1% vs. 0.04%; adjusted odds ratio: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.45). Adjusted median charges for CHD-related ED visits increased from $1,219 (IQR: $673 to $2,138) to $1,630 (IQR: $901 to $2,799), while the mortality rate decreased from 1.13% (95% CI: 0.71% to 1.52%) to 0.75% (95% CI: 0.41% to 1.09%) over the 9 years studied. ConclusionsChildren with CHD presenting to the ED represent a medically complex population at increased risk for morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization compared with those without CHD. Over 9 years, charges increased, but the mortality rate improved.