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Pattern of Admission in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Intensive Care Unit - A 10-year analysis

Christie Nwidum Mato, Arthur Onwuchekwa, Alfred Aggo

Abstract


Objective: To determine the admission pattern and outcome of care in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).
Method: A retrospective review of all patients admitted into the ICU of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) from 1996 to 2005 was carried out. Data were obtained from patients’ records, the ICU Admission and Discharge registers and nurses’ handover records.
Results: A total of 1,447 patients were admitted from 15 Departments. There were 658 males and 789 females, (M: F ratio 1:1.2). Ages ranged from 1year to 90 years (mean of 31.7±5.6years). The highest admission (48.7%) was from the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, while Ophthalmology and Anaesthesia had the lowest (0.1%). Postoperative cases made up 62.1% of total admissions, post-Caesarean section (C/S) contributing 65.7%. Non-availability of beds was the reason for majority of the post C/S admissions. Average length of stay (LOS) was 8.1±2.8 days. One patient was manually ventilated for 5 hours, none was mechanically ventilated; none had invasive cardiac monitoring, none had total parentral nutrition. Outcome of care showed that 597 (41.3%) patients were transferred to the ward, while 352 (24.3%) were discharged home. The outcome was not indicated in 128 (8.8%) patients; while 1 (0.1%) patient was referred to another tertiary institution and 1 (0.1%) absconded. Three hundred and fifty-two (352) patients died giving a mortality rate of 24.3%.
Conclusion: Majority of the patients admitted into the ICU were post-C/S. Non-availability of beds was the reason for most of the admissions.

Authors' affiliations

Christie Nwidum Mato, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

Arthur Onwuchekwa, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

Alfred Aggo, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

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Keywords

Intensive care unit, admission pattern, outcome

Cite this article

Southern African Journal of Critical Care 2009;25(1):10.

Article History

Date submitted: 2008-12-28
Date published: 2009-06-22

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