Evaluation of ophthalmic emergencies in a public reference hospital in Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate ophthalmological emergencies in a public reference hospital in Pernambuco. Methods: Cross-sectional retrospective study with 26.358 patients attended in the ophthalmic emergency Altino Ventura Foundation, in the period january to june 2013. Data were collected using protocols based on electronic registration forms of ophthalmological emergency Results: It was observed that 52.5% of patients were male, 42.5% were aged 21-40 years; 90.8% were from the region metropolitan area of Recife; 55% classified as less severe. The main diagnoses were conjunctivitis (35.17%) and ocular trauma (19.25%). Conclusion: The prevalence of male patients, aged 21-40 years, from the metropolitan area of Recife, classified as low complexity, attended in January, on Monday, with the diagnosis of conjunctivitis, followed by ocular trauma.

Clinical and epidemiological profile of ocular emergencies in a large teaching hospital

“…Our series reported a lower percentage of non-urgent visits (30%) compared to literature. This is partly due to a lower prevalence of infectious conjunctivitis (6.3%) and eyelid inflammation (1.7%) in our sample compared to other series (8.7-39.2%) 4,16,18 . A likely explanation for this may be that patients with symptoms of conjunctivitis are treated by their primary care physician or they self-medicate (a very common practice in our country).…”

“…In Ireland, Fenton et al 6 reported that 80.9% of visits were non-urgent and Alotaibi et al 13 from Saudi Arabia reported that 50.4% of visits were non-urgent (dry eye, chalazion, blepharitis, and allergic conjunctivitis). In Latin America, a series in Brazil 16 reported that 55% of eye-related visits were considered non-urgent and in Cuba 17 , 70.9% were considered non-urgent. Our series reported a lower percentage of non-urgent visits (30%) compared to literature.…”

Perfil clínico y epidemiológico de las urgencias oftalmológicas en la sala de emergencias de un hospital universitario

“…En Irlanda, Fenton, et al 6 informaron que el 80.9% de las visitas no eran urgentes, y Alotaibi, et al 13 , de Arabia Saudita, informaron que el 50.4% de las visitas no eran urgentes (ojo seco, chalazión, blefaritis y conjuntivitis alérgica). En América Latina, una serie en Brasil 16 informó que el 55% de las visitas relacionadas con los ojos se consideraron no urgentes y, en Cuba 17 , el 70.9% se consideró no urgente. Nuestra serie informó un menor porcentaje de visitas no urgentes (30%) en comparación con la literatura.…”

“…Nuestra serie informó un menor porcentaje de visitas no urgentes (30%) en comparación con la literatura. Esto se debe en parte a una menor prevalencia de conjuntivitis infecciosa (6.3%) y blefaritis (1.7%) en nuestra muestra en comparación con otras series (8.7-39.2%) 4,16,18 . Una explicación probable para esto puede ser que los pacientes con síntomas de conjuntivitis son tratados por su médico de atención primaria o se automedican (una práctica muy común en nuestro país).…”

“…Las covariables incluyeron la edad, el sexo y el tipo de seguro (básico, complementario [pacientes con mayores ingresos] o seguro de trabajo [accidentes laborales]). Los individuos se clasificaron por edad en las siguientes categorías: niños (edad 0-12), adolescentes (edad [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], adultos (edad 21-60) y adultos mayores (edad 61 años o más), dado que el tipo Results: A total of 473 patients were included in this study. 52.9% of visits were for an urgent condition, 17.1% were considered semi-urgent, and 30% of the visits were not urgent.…”