[Epidemiology of intussusception related hospitalizations in children aged <2 years in Suzhou, 2007-2013].

OBJECTIVE

To understand the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of <2 years old children hospitalized due to intussusceptions.

METHODS

Clinical and demographic data of <2 years old children hospitalized due to intussusception between January 2007 and August 2013 were retrospectively collected in Affiliated Children' s Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou. The incidence data, age distribution, seasonality and clinical characteristics of hospitalized intussusceptions cases were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 594 intussusception-related hospitalizations were identified during this period in children aged <2 years, no death occurred. The crude incidence of hospitalized intussusception was 57.3 per 100,000 in children aged <2 years (95%CI: 52.8-62.1), and 100.6 per 100,000 in children aged <1 year (95%CI: 92.1-109.8). The male to female ratio was 1.90:1. Up to 85.4% (507/594) of the cases were aged <1 year, and 66.2% (393/594) of the cases were aged 3-8 months. The incidence peaked in age group 5-8 months. The median age of the cases was 6.8 months (QR=4.4), and increased from 6.3 months (QR=4.2) in 2007 to 7.3 months (QR=4.0) in 2013. No obvious seasonality was observed. Main symptoms or signs included vomiting (83.2%, 494/594), abdominal mass (81.1%, 482/594), and bloody stool (64.5%, 383/594). Abdominal ultrasonic testing was the most frequently used diagnostic approach (98.7%, 586/594). Up to 86.2% (512/594) of patients were successfully treated by surgical intervention. The main sites for acute intussusception in children aged <2 years were ileocolic (34.5%, 183/530), ileo-ileo (30.8%, 163/530) or ileo-ileo-colic (27.9%, 148/530).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of hospitalized intussusception in children aged <2 years was high in Suzhou. It is necessary to establish an active surveillance system to provide baseline data for the evaluation of rotavirus vaccine safety.