Pediatric Infection and Vaccine

The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (대한소아감염학회)
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Decrease in Incidence of Febrile Seizure following Social Distancing Measures: A National Cohort Study in South Korea

  • Park, Kyu Hyun (Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Choe, Young June (Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Shim, Youngkyu (Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Eun, Baik-Lin (Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine) ;
  • Byeon, Jung Hye (Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2021.10.29
  • Accepted : 2022.01.16
  • Published : 2021.12.25
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Abstract

Purpose: Nonpharmaceutical measures, such as social distancing, have resulted in unintended consequences, including a decrease in the incidence of childhood diseases. This study aimed to estimate the impact of social distancing on the incidence of febrile seizure (FS) in Korea using nationally representative data. Methods: We used claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, a single-payer database capturing >95% of the Korean population. The database included any inpatient encounter with a FS diagnosis from January 2010 to September 2020 for those aged 0-5 years old. We aggregated the monthly number of cases to estimate the incidence per 100,000 patient-years in 2020 (January 1 to September 30) for the same periods in 2010-2019. Results: The incidence of FS in 2020 ranged from 113 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 108-118 per 100,000) in January to 27 per 100,000 (95% CI, 25-30 per 100,000) in September, whereas the average FS incidence in 2010-2019 ranged from 116 per 100,000 (95% CI, 112-121 per 100,000) in January to 101 per 100,000 (95% CI, 97-106 per 100,000) in September. Conclusions: The incidence of FS decreased by -38% in 2020, suggesting that social distancing contributed towards decreasing the incidence of FS.

목적: 사회적 거리두기와 같은 비약물적 조치는 아동기 질병 발병률 감소를 포함하여 의도하지 않은 결과를 초래하였다. 이에 대하여 한국의 국가 데이터를 사용하여 열성 경련 발병률과 사회적 거리두기의 영향을 연구하였다. 방법: 이 연구는 한국의 건강보험심사평가원의 청구 데이터를 사용하여 2010년 1월부터 2020년 9월까지 0-5세 사이의 아동에서 열성 경련 진단을 받은 모든 입원 환자가 포함되었으며, 2010-2019년 1월 1일부터 9월 30일까지, 2020년 같은 기간동안 인구 100,000명 당 발병률을 추정하기 위해 월별 사례 수를 집계하였다. 결과: 2010-2019년 열성경련의 발병률은 1월 100,000명 당 116명에서 9월 101명 이었으나, 2020년 2월 사회적 거리두기 이후 열성 경련의 발병률은 1월 100,000명당 113명에서 9월 27명으로 감소하였다. 결론: 2010-2019년에 비해 2020년 열성경련의 발병률 순 감소는 -38% 였으며, 사회적 거리두기가 열성 경련의 발병률 감소에 기여했음을 시사하는 결과를 확인하였다.

Keywords

References

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