THE FREQUENCY OF GENETIC-DISEASES IN A HIGH-RISK WARD IN A PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL

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