Hospitalizações por causas externas em uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica

Abstract

To ascertain epidemiological characteristics of hospitalizations due to external causes of children and adolescents admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This descriptive, observational study assessed hospitalizations due to external causes (Chapters XIX and XX of the International Disease Classification IDC-10) of children and adolescents under the age of 15 years, admitted to the PICU of the Clinicas Hospital of the Uberlândia Federal University Medical School between August 1989 and August 2003. Of the 2455 admissions, 372 (15%) were due to external causes; chiefly caused by transport accidents (49.2%), poisoning (9.1%) and falls (8.9%). The mean age was six years while most incidents occurred among the five to nine year-old bracket (39.8%) in boys (60.2%). The majority of incidents (75.6%) occurred during daytime, between 12:00 and 18:00 hours on any day of the week but with a marked predominance on Sundays. The number of incidents per month ranged from 24 (6.5%) in May, to 36 (9.7%) in January, April, November and December. The most common accident sites were in streets and on highways (47.5%), and within the home (35.4%). Victims were predominantly hospitalized for up to three days (64.5%) and with head trauma (251; 52,5%). Of the 47 (12,6%) deaths, 25 (53.2%) were due to transport accidents, and 44.1% had head trauma. The study concluded that admissions to the PICU due to external causes were predominantly school-goers, mainly caused by transport accidents, and that death was most common in pedestrians. The adopting of safe behavior and provision of safe environments, together with continuous educational programs and traffic control measures, are needed to ensure improved health and safety in children and adolescents.