Study on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric emergencies of a third level hospital

Abstract

Objectives. In recent years, hospital emergency departments have experienced a progressive increase in the demand for care, at the expense of trivial pathology. This trend changes from 14 March 2020, when the state of alarm was declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the compulsory confinement of the population. The main objective of this study was to determine the impact that this state of alarm has had on the volume of paediatric emergencies in a third level hospital.

Material and methods. A retrospective study of cohorts was carried out and included those under 14 years of age who demanded care during the months of the state of alarm and during the same months in the previous year. Different epidemiological and clinical data have been analysed.

Results. 3,371 patients attended our Emergency Department in 2019, and 650 in 2020, with a similar average patient age. The most frequent diagnostic groups at discharge in both time periods were infectious and digestive diseases. In terms of hospital admissions, 7.12% required admission in 2019 and 13.69% in 2020. Regarding the department in charge of the patient during admission, in 2020 27.72% of patients were admitted by Paediatric Surgery.

Conclusions. The activity in the paediatric emergency departments of our hospital varied considerably during the state of alarm. There has been a considerable decrease in the number of patients who have requested assistance due to the perceived risk of contagion by the population. In addition, we have perceived a relative increase in hospital admissions and, specifically, in urgent surgical pathology compared to the previous year