[Use of a hospital pediatric emergency department during the night]

To determine the characteristics of children younger than 14 years visiting our pediatric emergency department between 0:00 and 8:00 hours.

Retrospective review of 300 children visiting our emergency department at night.

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%).

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.