TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Pediatric battery-related emergency department visits in the United States: 2010-2019
JO  - Pediatrics
A1  - Chandler, Mark D.
A1  - Ilyas, Khudeja
A1  - Jatana, Kris R.
A1  - Smith, Gary A.
A1  - McKenzie, Lara B.
A1  - MacKay, J. Morag
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - OBJECTIVES: To describe the epidemiology of battery-related emergency department (ED) visits among children aged <18 years in the United States from 2010 to 2019 and compare with previous study findings. <br><br>METHODS: Data on ED visits were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Using narrative descriptions and diagnosis codes, battery-related cases were coded into four exposure routes: (1) ingestion, (2) mouth exposure, (3) ear insertion, and (4) nasal insertion. <br><br>RESULTS: An estimated 70 322 (95% confidence interval: 51 275-89 369) battery-related ED visits among children aged <18 years occurred during the study period, or 9.5 per 100 000 children annually. Button batteries were implicated in 84.7% of visits where battery type was described. A statistically significant increase in the ED visit rate occurred from 2010 to 2017 (P =.03), followed by a nonstatistically significant decrease from 2017 to 2019. The ED visit rate was highest among children aged ≤5 years compared with those 6 to 17 years (24.5 and 2.2 per 100 000 children, respectively). The mean patient age was 3.2 years (95% confidence interval: 2.9-3.4). Ingestions accounted for 90.0% of ED visits, followed by nasal insertions (5.7%), ear insertions (2.5%), and mouth exposures (1.8%). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric battery-related ED visit rates continued to significantly increase from 2010 to 2017, with children aged ≤5 years having the highest rates. Prevention efforts have not significantly reduced injury rates; therefore, regulatory efforts are needed. Ultimately, hazard reduction or elimination through safer button battery design is critical and should be adopted by the battery industry.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0031-4005
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2022-056709
ID  - ref1
ER  -