Temporal and regional trends of choking injuries in children in Italy, 2001–2013

Background: Choking injuries in children are a significant public health problem. The present study was aimed at examining the epidemiologic patterns of choking injuries in children using Italian official data from hospital discharge records. Methods: Hospital discharge records (from 2001 to 2013) reporting cases of choking injuries corresponding to the ICD-9 CM codes 933 (“Foreign body in pharynx and larynx”), 934 (“Foreign body in trachea, bronchus, and lung”), and fourth digit specifications (933.0 “pharynx”, 933.1 “larynx”, 934.0 “trachea”, 934.1 “main bronchus”, 934.8 “other specified parts”, 934.9 “respiratory tree, unspecified”) occurred in children aged 0–14 years were analyzed to assess the temporal and regional trends. Annual rates of hospitalizations due to choking injuries per 100,000 person-years were calculated and compared between boys and girls. Results: During the 13-year study period, there were a total of 7143 hospitalizations due to choking injuries in Italian children. The annual rates of hospitalizations due to choking injuries per 100,000 person-years decreased from 5.28 in 2001 to 3.46 in 2013 (p < 0.001). The reduction in choking injuries occurred across all the regions, particularly in Campania, Lombardia, Puglia, and Veneto. Conclusions: Hospitalizations for choking injuries in Italian children have decreased significantly in recent years. Choking injuries in children remain a cause of concern in some regions. Future research needs to elicit the causal factors underlying the downward trends and regional variations and develop targeted interventions to further reduce choking injuries in Italian children.