Pediatric Hand and Upper Extremity Injuries Presenting to Emergency Departments in the United States: Epidemiology and Health Care-Associated Costs.

ABSTRACT: Background: Upper extremity injuries represent one of the most common pediatric conditions presenting to emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. We aim to describe the epidemiology, trends, and costs of pediatric patients who present to US EDs with upper extremity injuries. Methods: Using the National Emergency Department Sample, we identified all ED encounters by patients aged <18 years associated with a primary diagnosis involving the upper extremity from 2008 to 2012. Patients were divided into 4 groups by age (≤5 years, 6-9 years, 10-13 years, and 14-17 years) and a trauma subgroup. Primary outcomes were prevalence, etiology, and associated charges. Results: In total, 11.7 million ED encounters were identified, and 89.8% had a primary diagnosis involving

SUBMITTER: Lee A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8283104 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature