Pattern of paediatric emergencies and outcome as seen in a teritary hospital: a five-year review

Background: The pattern of diseases in many resource-poor countries has changed in recent decades due to improving socio-economic status. While infectious and nutritional disorders continue to predominate, there has been increasing incidences of non-communicable diseases. We studied the pattern of paediatric diseases and outcome as seen in a children emergency unit.Methods: A retrospective study of children admitted between January 2002 and December 2006 at University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Nigeria. Results: A total of 3,678 children were admitted during the period of study, of which males were 2090(56.8%) and females 1588(43.2%). Malaria was the most frequent diagnosis, constituting 56.6% of admissions. Others in decreasing frequency included broncho-pneumonia 336(9.1%), diarrhoeal diseases 314(8.5%), trauma 105(2.9%), measles 82(2.2%), septicaemia 82(2.2%), sickle-cell disease 79(2.1%), surgical emergencies 77(2.1%), meningitis 37(1.0%), tetanus 28(0.8%), and poisoining 25(0.7%). Children under 5 years of age had the highest frequency of all causes for admission. Conclusion: Malaria is the most predominant cause for hospital admissions in children. Trauma is an increasingly common cause for hospitalisation