title: [Use of a hospital pediatric emergency department during the night].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the characteristics of children younger than 14 years visiting our pediatric emergency department between 0:00 and 8:00 hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 300 children visiting our emergency department at night.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between March 1 and 22 1999 we recorded 300 episodes from 0:00-8:00 hours (1.7 patients/hour) and 2350 episodes from 8:00-24:00 hours (6. 6 patients/hour). Of the 300 episodes registered at night, 132 children (44%) came between 0:00 and 2:00. The most common complaints were: respiratory symptoms in 116 patients (38.6%), fever in 61 (20.3%) and digestive symptoms in 61 (20.3%). We carried out at least one complementary test in 111 patients (37.0%). Five children (1.7%) were admitted to the hospital (80 between 8:00 and 24:00, 3.4%, p = 0.15) and 25 (8.3%) were admitted for a few hours to the observation ward (123 of the 2350 who came between 8:00 and 24:00, 5.2%, p = 0.06). Final diagnoses were: ear nose and throat infection in 91 (30.3%), fever without source in 38 (12.6%), asthma in 29 (9.6%), acute gastroenteritis in 27 (9%), croup in 22 (7.3%), vomiting in 14 (4.6%), abdominal pain in 13 (4.3%), febrile convulsion in 6 (2%), pneumonia in 5 (1.6%), bronchiolitis in 5 (1. 6%), bacteremia in 1 (0.3%), and other diagnoses in 46 (16.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of visits to our emergency department diminished at night, particularly between 0:00 and 2:00. The night-time admission rate was less than the daytime rate, although this difference was not statistically significant. Admission for a few hours to the observation ward was more common at night. The percentage of patients with respiratory illnesses was higher during the night.
authors.affiliation: Urgencias de Pediatría, Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital de Cruces, Barakaldo, Bizkaia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mintegui Raso
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez Echániz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benito Fernández
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vázquez Ronco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García Ribes
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Trebolazabala Quirante
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009551:Night Care; D010372:Pediatrics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain