Razia Latif.
Morbidity pattern in a pediatric out patient department in Karachi.
Pak Paed J Jan ;32(1):42-5.

Objective: To study the disease pattern of children presenting to an out patient department (OPD) of a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Methods: Children presenting to the out patient department of Ziauddin University Hospital, Keamari campus during the year 2005 were the subject of this study. Information was collected on a structured proforma from a register kept in the department and then analyzed. Results: A total of 6432 patients were seen in the pediatric out patient department during the year 2005. Of these, 5785 were new patients and were the subjects of this study. The majority of patients were below five years of age. Maximum numbers of patients were seen during the month of December. The most common diagnostic code was that of Infectious and Parasitic diseases followed by diseases of the Respiratory system. Cases of acute diarrhea peaked during the summer months, whereas respiratory tract infections were common during the winter season. Conclusion: Infectious and parasitic diseases was the most common diagnostic code used in the pediatric out patient department of Ziauddin University Hospital, Keamari campus followed by that of diseases of Respiratory System.

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