title: Acute diarrhea in hospitalized children of the municipality of Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil: prevalence and risk factors associated with disease severity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute diarrhea is a common cause of hospitalization among children under 5 years of age. Knowing the prevalence and risk factors associated with the severity of acute diarrhea is essential to control morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Describe the prevalence of demographic, epidemiologic and clinical features of children under 6 years of age hospitalized for acute diarrhea, and investigate the association between these determinants and the severity of the diarrheic episode.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, cross-sectional study, during the period from January, 2005 through December, 2008, in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. Files from 6,201 children from 0 to 6 years of age, hospitalized in two public teaching institutions (which account for 84% of all the hospitalizations in the municipality), were assessed. Acute diarrhea was defined as the presence of at least three evacuations of liquid or loose stools, within 24 hours, for a maximum period of 14 days. The patients with acute diarrhea were divided in two groups, according to disease severity, severe diarrhea being considered whenever hospitalization lasted for at least 4 days. Epidemiologic and clinical data were assessed and compared through the application of the chi-squared test and the binomial logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate for admission due to acute diarrhea was 8.4%. The factors significantly associated with the severity of the diarrheic episode were: age under 6 months (P = 0.01, OR = 2.762); disease onset during fall (P = 0.033, OR = 1.742), presence of fever (P = 0.017, OR = 1.715) and antibiotic use during hospitalization (P = 0.000, OR = 3.872).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diarrhea is the third most common cause of hospitalization among children under 6 years of age in Juiz de Fora. Young age (under or equal to 6 months), fever, antibiotic use during hospitalization and disease onset during fall are risk factors associated with longer hospital stay.
authors: Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. monicasejanes@hotmail.com
authors: Monica Couto Guedes Sejanes da
authors: MC
authors: Rocha
authors: Delaine La Gatta
authors: DL
authors: Carminate
authors: Sandra Helena Cerrato
authors: SH
authors: Tibiriçá
authors: Iná Pires de
authors: IP
authors: Carvalho
authors: Maria Luzia da Rosa E
authors: ML
authors: Silva
authors: Júlio Maria Fonseca
authors: JM
authors: Chebli
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors