[Pediatric emergencies. An epidemiologic study of mobile care units in Innsbruck].
OBJECTIVE
We studied the epidemiology and outcome of prehospital pediatric emergencies treated by a physician-staffed mobile intensive care unit (MICU).


METHODS
A 3-year retrospective analysis for the period 1991-1993.


RESULTS
Children under the age of 15 years comprised 5.1% of the patients treated by the MICU (372/7423), 87.4% of whom were not in a life-threatening condition. The most common emergencies were: trauma (30.4%), febrile seizure (27.7%), and subglottal laryngitis (12.6%). In 44.6% of cases there was no medical indication for the MICU. Intubation at the scene was required by 17 patients (4.6%), and 11 (3.0%) underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation following prehospital cardiac arrest; two children were successfully resuscitated but died in hospital. A total of 217 (61.3%) were admitted to the ward, 9 of these to a critical care unit. The average length of stay was 4.9 days, and 94.5% of patients were discharged in good health.


CONCLUSIONS
Prehospital pediatric emergencies are rare and seldom life-threatening. Continuing education in pediatric emergency care is important for emergency physicians.
Nagele
P
P
Universitätsklinik für Anästhesie und Allgemeine Intensivmedizin, Universität Wien. peter.nagele@univie.ac.at
Kroesen
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000552:Ambulances; D001317:Austria; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004630:Emergencies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013398:Sudden Infant Death; D016896:Treatment Outcome