TOP 42 - Characteristics of Patients with Community Acquired Pneumonia Discharged on Home Oxygen Versus Room Air: A Descriptive Study

Publication Number: 2794.TOP 42

Jennifer Stamp, Primary Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; Nathan M. Money, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; Claire Turscak, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; Michael D.. Johnson, University of Utah School of Medicine, Bountiful, UT, United States; Madison T. Black, University of Utah, Highland, UT, United States; Chari D.. Larsen, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States

Background: Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the second most common cause of pediatric hospital admissions, with hypoxia being the most common indication for hospitalization. The prevalence of hypoxia among children hospitalized with CAP varies significantly by disease severity and by geographical location. Patients at higher altitudes with CAP demonstrate lower oxygen saturations and prolonged oxygen requirements compared to those at lower altitudes. Current recommendations by the Infectious Diseases Society of America suggest hospital admission for children with CAP who are hypoxic, and that hypoxemia should be resolved prior to discharge. Although there are several studies demonstrating the safety of home oxygen therapy for patients with viral bronchiolitis, no such studies exist for community acquired pneumonia, resulting in significant variation in discharge practices for patients with CAP and hypoxemia.

Objective: Describe the characteristics of pediatric patients with CAP who are discharged on home oxygen therapy compared to those discharged on room air.
Trend rates of children hospitalized with CAP who are discharged with home oxygen therapy over time.

Design/Methods: We will perform a retrospective cohort study of patients aged 90 days to 18 years old hospitalized with hypoxia due to CAP between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2025. Patients will be identified using International Classification of Diseases-10 codes for CAP. Patients with baseline home oxygen requirement will be excluded. Demographic information, oxygen requirement indices, vital signs, medications, and laboratory values will be compared between children with CAP who were discharged on home oxygen therapy with those who were discharged on room air (Table). Characteristics including length of stay, complicated pneumonia rates, hospitalization cost, and readmission rates will also be compared. Independent sample t-tests will be used for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables. Rates of children discharged with home oxygen therapy will also be trended over time.

This study has been determined to be IRB exempt.

Characteristics and outcomes of children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia discharged with and without home oxygen therapy.