Trends and outcomes of admissions in the Paediatrics ward at a tertiary care hospital of urban Karachi

Abstract

In order to improve the health care system in Pakistan, the first step is to assess which diseases are the most prevalent and to what extent among children and lead to hospital admissions. This would help to improve the facilities and management and thus reduce the duration of hospital stay. This study aimed to determine the spectrum of disease presentation and the outcome and duration of hospital stay of patients presenting to the paediatric ward of a tertiary care hospital.

A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in the paediatric ward of a semi-private hospital PNS SHIFA in Karachi. The duration of the study was six months (March 2019 to August 2019) and the sample size was 431. Non probability convenience sampling was done and p-value =/< 0.05 was taken as significant. Data was analysed through SPSS version 22.

The study showed that gastroenterological diseases were the most common (138 [32%]), and all patients with these problems were discharged after treatment. Out of the 96 (22%) patients presenting with pulmonary diseases all were discharged except 2/96 patients (2%) who died as they had some co-morbidity (congenital heart disease and measles, respectively). One was referred (congenital heart disease). Seventy-five (17.5%) had infectious diseases with good outcome, 2 out of 19 (4.9%) had cardiac related illnesses. One neurological patient died, while the rest of 41 were discharged.
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