Prolonged Hospitalization Among Children Aged < 5 Years Admitted With Acute Gastroenteritis at Siaya County Referral Hospital, in Rural Western Kenya: 2010–2020

Background: Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) causes substantial morbidity and mortality in children < 5 years old accounting for 9 million hospitalizations. Prolonged hospitalization can cause dire consequences to the patient and healthcare system. However, data on factors associated with prolonged hospitalization for AGE in developing countries are limited. Objectives: We aim to describe trends and assess factors associated with prolonged hospitalization among children < 5 years admitted with AGE in western Kenya. 

Methods: Children with AGE (≥ 3 loose stools and/or ≥ 1 episode of unexplained vomiting with loose stool within 24 h) hospitalized at Siaya County Referral Hospital from January 2010 through December 2020 were included. Prolonged hospitalization was defined as admission for ≥ 5 days. Trends of prolonged AGE hospitalizations were assessed using Cochran–Armitage trend test, while factors associated with prolonged hospitalization for AGE were determined by unconditional logistic regression. 

Results: Of the 12,546 all-cause admissions among children < 5 years, 2271 (18.1%) children had AGE; 681 (32.8%) had prolonged hospitalization. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of prolonged hospitalization over time, with a peak in 2010 (42.8%) and a low in 2016 (10.8%). Older children (12–23 months: (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.69; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.49–0.97)) and those who vomited everything (aOR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.52–0.90) were less likely to have prolonged hospitalization. Children who had a bulging fontanel (aOR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.12–9.20) or chest in drawing (aOR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.02–2.18) or were severely stunted (aOR: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.89–3.79) or severely wasted (aOR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.65–3.30) were more likely to have prolonged hospitalization. 

Conclusion: Children with severe diarrheal illness with malnutrition are at high risk of prolonged hospitalization. Targeted interventions such as increased clinical and diagnostics monitoring for at-risk children with AGE may need to be prioritized to reduce possible prolonged hospitalization.