Department of Emergency Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
J Med Life. 2024 Jul;17(7):716-721. doi: 10.25122/jml-2024-0044.
Infectious diseases are among the most frequent causes of hospital admission and a substantial contributor to morbidity and mortality. These diseases pose a persistent concern, particularly within the pediatric population, where delays or inappropriate management can result in serious harm. Additionally, infectious diseases contribute to overcrowding in pediatric emergency departments (EDs). This study aimed to explore the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostics, outcome, and social and behavioral impacts of infectious diseases on child health. We conducted a retrospective, single-hospital study at a tertiary care center that is publicly funded and owned to serve the entire community. Pediatric patients with at least one or more chief complaints related to the respiratory system or infectious etiology were included. Data analysis was performed using SPSS to assess relationships between variables. A total of 15,106 patients were included, with a mean age of 3.80 years. The largest age group was toddlers (42.8%). Most cases (71.9%) were classified as urgent (Priority 3). Regarding patient outcomes, 76.1% were discharged after receiving appropriate treatment in the ED, and 22.9% required admission for further management. Nearly 38% of patients presented with a single complaint. Fever was the most frequent complaint across all groups. In summary, this study provides insights into the presentation of pediatric respiratory infectious diseases in the emergency room. The study revealed that toddlers were the most affected age group, with fever and cough being the common symptoms.
传染病是导致住院的最常见原因之一，也是发病率和死亡率的重要因素。这些疾病一直是一个关注点，特别是在儿科人群中，因为延迟或不当的管理可能会导致严重的伤害。此外，传染病也是导致儿科急诊部门（ED）过度拥挤的原因之一。本研究旨在探讨传染病对儿童健康的流行病学、临床表现、诊断、结果以及社会和行为影响。我们在一家由公共资金资助并为整个社区服务的三级保健中心进行了回顾性单医院研究。研究纳入了至少有一个或多个与呼吸系统或感染病因相关的主要症状的儿科患者。使用 SPSS 进行数据分析，以评估变量之间的关系。共纳入 15106 名患者，平均年龄为 3.80 岁。最大的年龄组是幼儿（42.8%）。大多数病例（71.9%）被归类为紧急（优先级 3）。关于患者的结局，76.1%的患者在 ED 接受适当治疗后出院，22.9%的患者需要入院进一步治疗。近 38%的患者仅有一种症状。发烧是所有组别中最常见的症状。总之，本研究提供了对儿科呼吸道传染病在急诊室的表现的深入了解。研究表明，幼儿是受影响最严重的年龄组，发烧和咳嗽是常见的症状。
