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The frequency of genetic diseases in a high risk ward in a pediatric hospital

Laís Izabel Borges Pinto; Giorgio Adriano Paskulin; Carla Graziadio; Heirie Miriam Marques Mendez

Departamento de Genética, Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas, Rua Sarmento Leite 245, Sala 403, 90050-170 Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Send correspondence to L.I.B.P.

ABSTRACT

From March 1990 to January 1991, all patients admitted to a high risk ward in a pediatric hospital in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, were examined. The study had the following objectives: evaluate the frequency of admissions due to genetic diseases and determine the peculiarities of the admissions. All patients were submitted to a physical examination and their parents were interviewed, in order to obtain information about the family and reproductive histories. Among a total of 849 patients admitted, 12.5% had genetic, or partly genetic diseases, 68.7% had diseases caused by environmental factors, 5.9% had developmental anomalies, 8.4% were children with physiological disorders and 4.6% had no established etiological diagnosis.
Statistical analysis, comparing data from the genetic group and those from the control group, showed that the genetic patients were admitted earlier, stayed longer, were readmitted and died more frequently than the patients admitted due to other causes, representing a greater social and financial burden.

Keywords: genetic diseases; high risk ward; pediatric hospital.

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