Predictors Of Future Acute Asthma Visits Among Children Receiving Guideline Recommended Emergency Department Discharge Management

Background: Asthma emergency department (ED) visits remain frequent among children, prompting ongoing pursuit of preventative strategies. Objective: We identified factors associated with future acute asthma ED visits among children who had already received guideline recommended discharge management following a prior asthma ED visit. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of children ages 1-17 years with a first asthma ED visit to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Canada between September 2014-August 2015. Children who received recommended discharge management including an inhaled corticosteroids prescription and/or an asthma action plan were included. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with a future acute asthma visits one year following the first ED visit. Results: Among 909 children with a first asthma ED visit, 24% had a future acute asthma visit within one year. Future acute asthma visits were more likely in children with a nut/peanut allergy (OR 1.76, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.70), higher severity symptoms (OR 2.04, 95% CI: 1.23, 3.39), a primary care physician (OR 2.23, 95% CI: 1.26, 3.93), or a prior diagnosis of asthma (OR 1.53, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.28). Conclusion: Children at risk for repeat acute asthma ED visits despite having a primary care provider and receiving recommended discharge management at their first ED visit can be identified by factors such as having a nut/peanut allergy, a prior asthma diagnosis, and higher severity symptoms at ED presentation. These factors can be used to target more intensive preventative interventions to those most in need.