ORIGINALS
IMAJ | volume 26
Journal 4, April 2024
pages: 216-221
Trends in Emergency Department Admissions Due to Renal Colic in the Pediatric Population: A Multicenter Study
- Dor Golomb ,
- Hanan Goldberg ,
- Paz Lotan ,
- Ilan Kafka ,
- Stanislav Kotcherov ,
- Guy Verhovsky ,
- Asaf Shvero ,
- Ron Barrent ,
- Ilona Pilosov Solomon,
- David Ben Meir,
- Ezekiel Landau ,
- Amir Cooper ,
- Orit Raz
1 Department of Urology, Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital, Ashdod, Israel
2 Department of Urology, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
3 Department of Urology, Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson Campus), Petah Tikva, Israel
4 Department of Urology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
5 Department of Urology, Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh), Zerifin, Israel
6 Department of Urology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
7 Emergency Medicine Department, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
8 Department of Urology, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
9 Department of Urology, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
Summary
Background:
Pediatric urolithiasis is relatively uncommon and is generally associated with predisposing anatomic or metabolic abnormalities. In the adult population, emergency department (ED) admissions have been associated with an increase in ambient temperature. The same association has not been evaluated in the pediatric population.
Objectives:
To analyze trends in ED admissions due to renal colic in a pediatric population (≤ 18 years old) and to assess the possible effect of climate on ED admissions.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective, multicenter cohort study, based on a computerized database of all ED visits due to renal colic in pediatric patients. The study cohort presented with urolithiasis on imaging during their ED admission. Exact climate data was acquired through the Israeli Meteorological Service (IMS).
Results:
Between January 2010 and December 2020, 609 patients, ≤ 18 years, were admitted to EDs in five medical centers with renal colic: 318 males (52%), 291 females (48%). The median age was 17 years (IQR 9–16). ED visits oscillated through the years, peaking in 2012 and 2018. A 6% downward trend in ED admissions was noted between 2010 and 2020. The number of ED admissions in the different seasons was 179 in autumn (30%), 134 in winter (22%), 152 in spring (25%), and 144 in summer (23%) (
P = 0.8). Logistic regression multivariable analysis associated with ED visits did not find any correlation between climate parameters and ED admissions due to renal colic in the pediatric population.
Conclusions:
ED admissions oscillated during the period investigated and had a downward trend. Unlike in the adult population, rates of renal colic ED admissions in the pediatric population were not affected by seasonal changes or rise in maximum ambient temperature.