Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Childhood Emergencies

Urgentna ili hitna stanja u medicini općenito su stanja koja neposredno ugrožavaju biološki integritet bolesnika i zahtijevaju neodgodivu medicinsku intervenciju. Cilj: Ispitati učestalost hitnih stanja u dječjoj dobi tijekom jednogodišnjeg razdoblja u Službi medicinske pomoći u Lukavcu. Metode: Retrospektivna analiza medicinske dokumentacije u razdoblju od 1. 1. 2005. do 31. 12. 2005. Rezultati: Retrospektivnom analizom medicinske dokumentacije u razdoblju od 1. 1. 2005. do 31. 12. 2005. godine od 4.761 pregledanog djeteta u dobi od 0 do 14 godina u Službi hitne medicinske pomoći u Lukavcu ukupno 596-ero djece je imalo hitno stanje. Učestalost javljanja hitnih stanja u dječjoj dobi za oba spola bila je 1:7,98, s prosječnom frekvencijom od 125 na 1.000 pregledane djece. Izrazito visoka učestalost hitnih stanja bila je u razdoblju školskog djeteta: 460/1.000 pregledanih. Od 596-ero djece s hitnim stanjem koja su se javila u Službu hitne medicinske pomoći u Lukavcu 363/596 (60,9%) bilo je muškog spola, a 233/596 (39,1%) ženskog spola. Razlika je statistički značajna (2 = 56,71; P < 0,0001). Najveći broj djece s hitnim stanjem javljao se u Službu hitne medicinske pomoći u Lukavcu u travnju mjesecu (12,2 %), a najmanji broj tokom mjeseca siječnja (4,0%). Najčešće su djeca s hitnim stanjem bila iz kompletnih obitelji (61,9%), razlika je statistički značajna u učestalosti hitnih stanja kod djece s obzirom na status obitelji (2 = 22,7; P < 0,0001). Primanja u obitelji bila su redovita kod 42,4% djece s hitnim stanjem i razlika u učestalosti hitnih stanja u odnosu prema materijalnim primanjima u obitelji statistički je značajna (2 = 27,1; P < 0,0001). Hitna stanja bila su najčešće uzrokovana bolestima respiratornog sustava: 33,1% slučajeva. Najčešće primijenjeni terapijski postupak do definitivnog zbrinjavanja bila je simptomatska terapija. Zaključak: Razmatranjem kliničkih i epidemioloških karakteristika hitnih stanja dječje dobi u Službi hitne medicinske pomoći u Lukavcu očito je da se radi o zdravstvenim problemima djece određene životne dobi te se u skladu s tim trebaju napraviti adekvatni programi zdravstvene zaštite koji će obuhvatiti prevenciju i liječenje hitnih stanja.Urgent medical conditions or emergencies are generally those conditions directly endangering patient’s physical integrity and requiring immediate medical intervention. Aim: To examine the frequency of emergencies in children during a one-year periods at the Emergency Medical Services in Lukavac. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical documentation for the period from 1 Jan 2005 to 31 Dec 2005. Results: The retrospective analysis of the medical documentation has revealed that urgent conditions were recorded in 596 of 4761 examined children, aged 0 to 14 years, examined at the Emergency Medical Services in Lukavac in the period from 1 Jan 2005 to 31 Dec 2005. The frequency for both sexes was 1:7.98, with an average prevalence of 125 in 1000 examined children. The extremely high prevalence of urgent conditions was recorded in school children, i.e. 460/1000 of examined children. Out of 596 children with urgent conditions examined at the Emergency Medical Services in Lukavac, 363/596 (60.9%) were boys, and 233/596 (39.1%) were girls, which represents a statistically significant difference (2 = 56.71; P < 0.0001). The highest number of children with urgent conditions examined at the Emergency Medical Services in Lukavac was recorded in April (12.2%), and the lowest number in January (4.0%). Children with urgent conditions mostly came from complete families (61.9%). A difference in the family status was statistically significant (2 = 22.7; P < 0.0001). The percentage of families with regular income was 42.4%, and a difference in the occurrence of urgent conditions with regard to family income was statistically significant (2 = 27.1; P < 0.0001). Urgent conditions were mostly caused by respiratory diseases (33.1%). The most frequently applied initial treatment was symptomatic. Conclusion: The analysis of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of urgent childhood conditions recorded at the Emergency Medical Services in Lukavac reveals that they are caused by health problems in children of a particular age. Consequently, appropriate health protection programs, which would include prevention and treatment of urgent conditions, should be designed