title: Factors influencing the mortality of children with gastroenteritis at the Pediatric Ward of Dr. Pirngadi Hospital, Medan.
abstract: A retrospective study was done on infants and children hospitalized from January 1, 1988 to December 31, 1988 at the Pediatric Ward of Dr. Pirngadi Hospital, Medan. In this period a total of 3370 patients had been hospitalized and 1356 (40.24%) had gastroenteritis of whom 96 patients (7.08%) died. The causes of death as the complications were encephalopathy in 27 patients (28.12%), bronchopneumonia in 32 (33.33%), shock in 27 (28.12%), sepsis in 6 (6.25%) and acidosis in 4 (4.17%). Fifty one (53.12%) of those 96 patients who died were in the age group of under one year. The age specific mortality rate was highest in the age group of 1 month (14.28%). Of those 1356 patients with gastroenteritis 566 (41.74%) were well nourished of whom 8 patients died (1.42%); mildly malnourished in 532 patients of whom 36 (6.77%) died; and severely malnourished in 258 patients of whom 52 (20.16%) died. As far as the duration of illness was concerned 43 patients (12.73%) who died had a history of illness at home of 1 day. Beside the complications of the disease it seemed that the nutritional factors might have interfered with the mortality of patients with gastroenteritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, School of Medicine, University of North Sumatera, Dr. Pirngadi Hospital, Medan.
authors.forename: N U
authors.initials: NU
authors.lastname: Lubis
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sinuhaji
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sutanto
mesh_terms: D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies