Predictive usefulness of blood eosinophilia for hospital length of stay among children with asthma exacerbation.

BACKGROUND

The relationship between blood eosinophilia and length of hospital stay has been scarcely analyzed.

OBJECTIVE

To establish the prevalence of eosinophilia in children with asthma exacerbation and to evaluate its association as a predictor of the length of hospital stay in these patients.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from children aged 2 to 17 years who were hospitalized for asthma exacerbation between January 2019 and December 2024 at teaching hospital. Multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association between blood eosinophilia (≥ 500 cells/µL) and length of hospital stay (≥ 4 days).

RESULTS

Data from 225 children were analyzed; 15.1% had eosinophilia (exposed group), while the remaining 84.9% did not (non-exposed group). In the absence of pneumonia, the eosinophilia group was less likely to experience a prolonged hospital stay (RR = 0.6, P = 0.034). In this same group, eosinophils ≥ 500 cells/µL reduced the likelihood of a hospital stay ≥ 4 days (adjusted OR 0.22, P = 0.005) in the multivariate analysis. Meanwhile, age ≥ 6 years (adjusted OR 4.12, P < 0.001), moderate (adjusted OR 2.54, P = 0.016) and severe (adjusted OR 8.42, P = 0.003) Pulmonary Scores were predictors of prolonged hospital stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood eosinophilia ≥ 500 cells/µL is associated with a shorter hospital stay. Additionally, children aged 6 years or older and those with moderate or severe exacerbations have a higher risk of prolonged hospitalization.