Risk of readmission to hospital for pediatric asthma.

To describe risk for hospital readmission for pediatric asthma occurring within 12 months of index hospital admission, we reviewed the medical records of all pediatric (age < 15 years) patients admitted for asthma to the Kaiser Foundation Hospital (KFH), Hayward, California, between September 30, 1991 and June 30, 1993. Patients aged < 5 years or who had a history of prior hospital admission were at high risk for hospital readmission within 12 months of the index admission. A single-session asthma class did not reduce risk for hospital readmission.