Emergency Department Visits for Nephrolithiasis Increase Among Teens in a “Stone Belt” State

A study from South Carolina suggests an increased rate of ED visits and associated costs in that state.

To quantify trends in the incidence and cost burden of emergency department (ED) visits for childhood nephrolithiasis in South Carolina, investigators analyzed a database of all ED visits in the state from 1996 to 2007. Repeat visits by the same child were excluded from analysis.

During the study period, 1535 patients aged 0 to 18 years had diagnostic codes for nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis. The proportion of ED visits among this age group with diagnosis of nephrolithiasis increased significantly from 8.1 per 100,000 patients in 1996 to 13.9 per 100,000 in 2007 (i.e., 0.0139% of ED visits were for nephrolithiasis). Visit rates were directly related to age, and, during 2005 to 2007, nephrolithiasis accounted for nearly 0% of visits in child…

Reviewing Author

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)