Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus
Background Seasonal viral outbreaks, exemplified by influenza A and B viruses, lead to spikes in emergency department (ED) visits, straining healthcare facilities. Addressing ED overcrowding has become paramount due to its implications for patient care and healthcare operations. Recurrent visits amo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2023-10-01
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| Series: | PeerJ |
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/16198.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797423723671715840 |
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| author | Ali Cankut Tatlıparmak Suleyman Alpar Sarper Yilmaz |
| author_facet | Ali Cankut Tatlıparmak Suleyman Alpar Sarper Yilmaz |
| author_sort | Ali Cankut Tatlıparmak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Seasonal viral outbreaks, exemplified by influenza A and B viruses, lead to spikes in emergency department (ED) visits, straining healthcare facilities. Addressing ED overcrowding has become paramount due to its implications for patient care and healthcare operations. Recurrent visits among influenza patients remain an underexplored aspect, necessitating investigation into factors influencing such revisits. Methods Conducted within a tertiary care university hospital, this study adopts an observational retrospective cohort design. The study included adult patients with acute respiratory symptoms diagnosed with influenza using rapid antigen testing. The cohort was divided into single and recurrent ED visitors based on revisits within 10 days of initial discharge. A comparative analysis was performed, evaluating demographics, laboratory parameters, and clinical process data between recurrent visitors and single visitors. Results Among 218 patients, 36.2% (n = 139) experienced recurrent ED visits. Age and gender disparities were not significant. Antibiotics were prescribed for 55.5% (n = 121) and antivirals for 92.7% (n = 202) of patients, with no notable influence on recurrence. Recurrent visitors exhibited lower monocyte counts, hemoglobin levels, higher PDW and P-LCR percentages, and increased anemia prevalence (p = 0.036, p = 0.01, p = 0.004, p = 0.029, p = 0.017, respectively). C-reactive protein (CRP) levels did not significantly affect recurrence. Conclusion This study highlights the pressing concern of recurrent ED visits among mild influenza patients, magnifying the challenges of ED overcrowding. The observed notable prescription rates of antibiotics and antivirals underscore the intricate landscape of influenza management. Diminished monocyte counts, hemoglobin levels, and altered platelet parameters signify potential markers for identifying patients at risk of recurrent visits. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:51:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a164ee8bad604f67bb915589bf16bd77 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T07:51:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-a164ee8bad604f67bb915589bf16bd772023-12-03T01:34:49ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592023-10-0111e1619810.7717/peerj.16198Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virusAli Cankut Tatlıparmak0Suleyman Alpar1Sarper Yilmaz2Department of Emergency Medicine, Üsküdar University, İstanbul, TurkeyDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Beykent University, İstanbul, TurkeyDeparment of Emergency Medicine, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital, İstanbul, TurkeyBackground Seasonal viral outbreaks, exemplified by influenza A and B viruses, lead to spikes in emergency department (ED) visits, straining healthcare facilities. Addressing ED overcrowding has become paramount due to its implications for patient care and healthcare operations. Recurrent visits among influenza patients remain an underexplored aspect, necessitating investigation into factors influencing such revisits. Methods Conducted within a tertiary care university hospital, this study adopts an observational retrospective cohort design. The study included adult patients with acute respiratory symptoms diagnosed with influenza using rapid antigen testing. The cohort was divided into single and recurrent ED visitors based on revisits within 10 days of initial discharge. A comparative analysis was performed, evaluating demographics, laboratory parameters, and clinical process data between recurrent visitors and single visitors. Results Among 218 patients, 36.2% (n = 139) experienced recurrent ED visits. Age and gender disparities were not significant. Antibiotics were prescribed for 55.5% (n = 121) and antivirals for 92.7% (n = 202) of patients, with no notable influence on recurrence. Recurrent visitors exhibited lower monocyte counts, hemoglobin levels, higher PDW and P-LCR percentages, and increased anemia prevalence (p = 0.036, p = 0.01, p = 0.004, p = 0.029, p = 0.017, respectively). C-reactive protein (CRP) levels did not significantly affect recurrence. Conclusion This study highlights the pressing concern of recurrent ED visits among mild influenza patients, magnifying the challenges of ED overcrowding. The observed notable prescription rates of antibiotics and antivirals underscore the intricate landscape of influenza management. Diminished monocyte counts, hemoglobin levels, and altered platelet parameters signify potential markers for identifying patients at risk of recurrent visits.https://peerj.com/articles/16198.pdfInfluenzaAcute respiratory infectionEmergency departmentRecurrent visit |
| spellingShingle | Ali Cankut Tatlıparmak Suleyman Alpar Sarper Yilmaz Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus PeerJ Influenza Acute respiratory infection Emergency department Recurrent visit |
| title | Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus |
| title_full | Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus |
| title_fullStr | Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus |
| title_short | Factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus |
| title_sort | factors influencing recurrent emergency department visits for mild acute respiratory tract infections caused by the influenza virus |
| topic | Influenza Acute respiratory infection Emergency department Recurrent visit |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/16198.pdf |
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