Photo Credit: By-studio

Authors of a study in the Journal of Asthma used the National Inpatient Sample to assess seasonal variations and differential outcomes based on race and income in asthma hospitalizations across the United States from 2016 to 2019. Their analysis included 423,140 admissions. Patients had a mean age of 51; 73% were female, and 56% were non-White. Admissions peaked in winter (n=124,145) and were lowest in summer (n=80,525). The study team found an association between summer admissions with increased intubation rates (2.73% vs 1.93%; aOR, 1.19; 95% CI: 1.04-1.37) and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) (7.92% vs 7.06%; aOR, 1.08; 95% CI: 1.00-1.17). Compared with White patients, Black patients had higher rates of intubation (2.53% vs 1.87%; aOR, 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.29) and NIPPV (9.95% vs 5.45%; aOR, 1.69; 95% CI: 1.57-1.82). There were no significant associations between income and clinical outcomes. These findings suggest the need for strategically timed outpatient visits to address seasonal variation and racial disparities in asthma outcomes.