TY - JOUR
T1 - Children hospitalized for varicella
T2 - A prevaccine review
AU - Peterson, C. L.
AU - Mascola, L.
AU - Chao, S. M.
AU - Lieberman, J. M.
AU - Arcinue, E. L.
AU - Blumberg, D. A.
AU - Kwang Sik Kim, Sik Kim
AU - Kovacs, A.
AU - Wong, V. K.
AU - Brunell, P. A.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - Objectives: To describe varicella complications in healthy and previously ill children hospitalized for varicella and to explore trends in group A β-hemolytic streptococcus complications of varicella. Methods: A retrospective record review of children hospitalized for varicella between January 1, 1990, and March 31, 1994, was conducted in nine large acute care hospitals in Los Angeles County, California. Results: We identified 574 children hospitalized for varicella in study hospitals during the 4.25-year study period (estimated risk of hospitalization, approximately 1 in 550 cases of varicella); 53% of the children were healthy before the onset of varicella and 47% were previously ill with underlying cancers or other chronic illnesses. Children were hospitalized for treatment of complications (n = 427, 74%) or for prophylactic antiviral therapy or observation (n = 147, 26%). Systems involved in complications included skin/soft tissue (45%), neurologic (18%), respiratory (14%), gastrointestinal (10%), and hematologic, renal, or hepatic (8% or less). The mean age of children with skin/soft tissue infections was 2.7 years (range < 1 to 16 years) compared with 4.7 years (< 1 to 18 years) for other complications. Children with skin/soft tissue and neurologic complications were more often previously healthy (p <0.05), whereas those with respiratory complications were more often previously ill (p <0.001). Hospitalizations for skin/soft tissue infections increased during the study period. The proportion of complications as a result of group A β-hemolytic streptococcus infection increased from 4.7% before 1993 to 12.2% for the remainder of the study period (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Prior health status was predictive of the type of complications experienced by children with varicella requiring hospitalization. Our data suggest a recent increase in skin/soft tissue complications of varicella requiring hospitalization and an increase in the proportion of complications related to group A β-hemolytic streptococcus. Wide-scale vaccine use should reverse this trend and reduce the overall impact of varicella on both healthy and previously ill children.
AB - Objectives: To describe varicella complications in healthy and previously ill children hospitalized for varicella and to explore trends in group A β-hemolytic streptococcus complications of varicella. Methods: A retrospective record review of children hospitalized for varicella between January 1, 1990, and March 31, 1994, was conducted in nine large acute care hospitals in Los Angeles County, California. Results: We identified 574 children hospitalized for varicella in study hospitals during the 4.25-year study period (estimated risk of hospitalization, approximately 1 in 550 cases of varicella); 53% of the children were healthy before the onset of varicella and 47% were previously ill with underlying cancers or other chronic illnesses. Children were hospitalized for treatment of complications (n = 427, 74%) or for prophylactic antiviral therapy or observation (n = 147, 26%). Systems involved in complications included skin/soft tissue (45%), neurologic (18%), respiratory (14%), gastrointestinal (10%), and hematologic, renal, or hepatic (8% or less). The mean age of children with skin/soft tissue infections was 2.7 years (range < 1 to 16 years) compared with 4.7 years (< 1 to 18 years) for other complications. Children with skin/soft tissue and neurologic complications were more often previously healthy (p <0.05), whereas those with respiratory complications were more often previously ill (p <0.001). Hospitalizations for skin/soft tissue infections increased during the study period. The proportion of complications as a result of group A β-hemolytic streptococcus infection increased from 4.7% before 1993 to 12.2% for the remainder of the study period (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Prior health status was predictive of the type of complications experienced by children with varicella requiring hospitalization. Our data suggest a recent increase in skin/soft tissue complications of varicella requiring hospitalization and an increase in the proportion of complications related to group A β-hemolytic streptococcus. Wide-scale vaccine use should reverse this trend and reduce the overall impact of varicella on both healthy and previously ill children.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0022-3476(96)70117-8
DO - 10.1016/S0022-3476(96)70117-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 8859259
AN - SCOPUS:0030365019
SN - 0022-3476
VL - 129
SP - 529
EP - 536
JO - Journal of Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Pediatrics
IS - 4
ER -