Population-based incidence and burden of childhood intussusception in Jeonbuk Province, South Korea☆

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of childhood intussusception and to estimate the incidence rate of intussusception before the introduction of rotavirus vaccines in Korea.Methods: Demographic, clinical, diagnostic, treatment, and outcome data for patients aged <5 years who were diagnosed with intussusception in Jeonbuk Province, South Korea from January 2000 through December 2002, were retrospectively collected using a standardized data collection instrument.Results: During the 3-year period, 408 patients were diagnosed with intussusception; 82.8% of children were aged <24 months. Predominant signs and symptoms were vomiting (64.5%), bloody stool (43.9%), and abdominal pain/irritability (41.9%). The combination of ultrasound and barium or air enema was the most frequently used diagnostic approach (38.7%). Three hundred and thirteen patients (76.7%) were treated by radiologic reduction, 88 (21.6%) patients were treated by surgical intervention, and the remaining seven patients had no treatment. The mean annual incidence rate of intussusception in Jeonbuk Province was 236/100 000 among children aged <2 years and 106/100 000 among children aged <5 years.Conclusions: This retrospective study provides a background incidence rate of childhood intussusception in Korean children before the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine. (C) 2009 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.