Survivors of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia have High Readmission Burden, suggests study
A new study published in the Journal of American Medical Association showed that hospital readmissions are a significant burden for survivors of congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDH).
An uncommon deformity with a high infant death rate is congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Even while survival rates have increased due to treatment advancements, long-term morbidity is still significant, and its effects on the healthcare system are still not well understood. Therefore, this study investigated the incidence, reasons, and variables associated with hospital readmission and late death following release from the original stay.
This countrywide retrospective cohort research was carried out between 2012 and 2024 using information from the French National Health Data System, which collected hospital discharge records and national health insurance claims in France. Children with CDH who received surgical repair within their first 6 months of life and were released from the main stay alive were the participants.
The period of data analysis was January through October of 2025. The primary results were mortality during follow-up and readmission to an acute care institution within three years of release. Multivariable analysis was used to find factors related to readmission.
72.5% of the 753 babies with at least three years of follow-up (from the original cohort of 1,028) needed at least one hospital readmission, and 24.2% required intensive care. By age three, the primary reasons for these readmissions were respiratory concerns (38.0%), CDH-related surgical complications (23.3%), and gastrointestinal or nutritional disorders (20.5%).
Preterm delivery, related congenital abnormalities, an initial hospital stay longer than one month, and release with oxygen or enteral feeding were independent risk factors for readmission. 1.4% of the initial group experienced late death, which was closely associated with the requirement for enteral nutrition at discharge and was typically caused by CDH-related problems or comorbidities.
Despite low overall late mortality, over three-quarters of 1,028 babies with CDH in a national cohort were readmitted within three years, mostly for respiratory, gastrointestinal, or surgical problems. Overall, readmission was independently predicted by prematurity, congenital abnormalities, and discharge with oxygen or enteral feeding.
Source:
Jouannin, M., Pinson, P., Collier, M., Lapillonne, A., Tréluyer, J.-M., & Kermorvant-Duchemin, E. (2026). Readmission and late mortality among children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia. JAMA Network Open, 9(6), e2620290. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.20290
