PROFILE OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS VISITING THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AT A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL IN SOUTH INDIA

Background: Understanding the dynamic profiling of emergency department (ED) visits, particularly among pediatric patients, is crucial for implementing targeted interventions to enhance outcomes and optimize triage systems for this vulnerable population. Aim and Objective: This study aimed to profile the demographics, clinical presentations, and treatments of pediatric patients admitted to the ED. Materials and Methods: Conducted as a prospective observational study over six months in South India, this research included 110 participants. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected and analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 29.0. Results: The male-to-female ratio among participants was 1.2:1, with children aged 1 to 10 constituting 48.1% of the cohort. Febrile seizures emerged as the most common diagnosis, accounting for 17.3% of cases. Acetaminophen was the most frequently prescribed medication, used by 30.0% on admission and 12.7% upon discharge. Drug-drug interactions (DDI) were significant, with 92.7% classified as moderate and 7.3% as severe. The mean length of hospital stay was approximately four days, and polypharmacy was noted in 52.8% of patients. Conclusion: The predominance of febrile seizures and high rates of polypharmacy and DDI highlight the need for clinical pharmacist involvement in the ED. Such engagement could enhance patient education, minimize the recurrence of seizures, and reduce the risk of adverse drug interactions, ultimately improving pediatric emergency care.