title: Pattern of the cases seen in the accident and emergency department in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital over a period of twelve months.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a dearth of information on emergency medical services in Nigeria. This study was conducted to determine the age, sex distribution and the pattern of patient presentation in the Accident and Emergency Department of a Nigeria teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of all cases seen at the accident and emergency department of the University College Hospital in 2003 was carried out. The information extracted from the records includes age, sex, and diagnosis, department to which the patient was referred, the month of presentation and the outcome within the first twenty four hours of presentation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4674 patients attended the casualty, with a male: female ratio of 1.2:1. The third decade was the peak age distribution. There was a predominance of surgical cases (61%). In the treatment outcome, 52.1% were referred to other departments while there were ten (0.2%) mortalities. Trauma related cases constituted 45.1%. Road traffic accidents were the commonest cause of trauma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The largest proportion of patient were in the active third decade of life. Trauma is the commonest cause of presentation in the Accident and Emergency Department. A significant proportion of patients do not require admission. The doctor in the Accident and Emergency Department must be skilled in basic trauma care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Orthopaedics and Trauma Department, University College Hospital, College of Medicine University of Ibadan. dolafpe@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Afuwape
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Alonge
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Okoje
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004630:Emergencies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome