Pediatric Patients With HS Utilize High-Cost Emergency Department Care

Pediatric patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are more likely utilize emergency services during their journey to receiving a diagnosis than adult patients with the disease, found a study published in JAMA Dermatology.

Researchers aimed to assess the clinical characteristics and health care utilization patterns of pediatric vs adult patients with HS in a retrospective cohort study. Adult (n=7633) and pediatric (n=1094) patients with HS claims from a database during a study period of January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2016 were included in the study. The main outcomes included concurrent diagnoses, outpatient care by discipline, and emergency/urgent care and inpatient claims.

Pediatric patients with HS were likely to see pediatricians, dermatologists, emergency department (ED) staff, and family physicians during their journey, commonly receiving a diagnosis of folliculitis and comedones. They also had high rates of acne vulgaris, acne conglobate, obesity, and anxiety disorders and a higher percentage of HS-specific claims for emergency and urgent care services. Adult patients were more likely to have inpatient stays. The mean cost per ED claim was similar between pediatric and adult patient groups. The largest cost for either group was the cost of inpatient visits.

“This cohort study suggests that pediatric patients utilize high-cost ED care when HS can often be treated as an outpatient,” concluded the study authors. “These data suggest that there are opportunities to improve recognition of HS in pediatric patients by non-dermatologists and dermatologists,” they continued.

Reference
Hallock KK, Mizerak MR, Dempsey A, Maczuga S, Kirby JS. Differences between children and adults with hidradenitis suppurativa. JAMA Dermatol. Published online August 11, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.2865