Pattern of Paediatric Admissions in Emergency Paediatric Unit of a Tertiary Health Facility in North Central Nigeria: A Two Years Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Emergency care is one of the services, which improves patient’s chances of survival. The knowledge of the common causes of morbidity is important for understanding the epidemiological profile of disease in a population. The information obtained is beneficial in evaluating services, the pattern of illnesses and deaths. Objective: To determine the pattern of Paediatric admissions in emergency Paediatric unit of Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi, during the first two years of the institution. Methodology: The study was a retrospective study of all admissions into the EPU between January 2013 to December 2014.All the case files of the patients were retrieved and information on age, sex, diagnosis and outcome were retrieved. The children were between one month to 15 years who were admitted into the emergency Paediatric unit of BSUTH. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 Results: A total of 679 admission cases were reviewed within the study period. Of these 291(42.9%) admissions was in 2013 and 388(57.1%) was recorded in 2014.The principal diagnosis in 2013 were malaria 85(29.2%), febrile convulsion 28(7.2%), bronchopneumonia 39(13.3%), Septiceamia 25(8.6%) and sickle cell disease 20(6.9%) as compared to malaria 90(23.2%), diarrheoa 88(22.7%), Septiceamia 47(12.1%) and bronchopneumonia 18(4.6%) in 2014.Among the neoplastic diseases seen acute lymphoblastic leukemia was commonest (0.7%). Conclusion: Malaria, bronchopneumonia and diarrheoa diseases are the most prevalent causes of childhood morbidity presented in emergency Paediatric unit of the hospital. There is need for effective control measures for the prevention of these diseases.