To describe risk for hospital readmission for pediatric asthma occurri
ng within 12 months of index hospital admission, we reviewed the medic
al records of all pediatric (age < 15 years) patients admitted for ast
hma to the Kaiser Foundation Hospital (KFH), Hayward, California, betw
een September 30, 1991 and lune 30, 1993. Patients aged < 5 years or w
ho had a history of prior hospital admission were at high risk for hos
pital readmission within 12 months of the index admission. A single-se
ssion asthma class did not reduce risk for hospital readmission.