OBJECTIVETo study the disease spectrum and causes of death in hospitalized children in an upper first-class hospital in Hunan Province, China.

METHODSThe medical records of hospitalized children between 2010 and 2014 in this hospital were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSFrom 2010 to 2014, the number of hospitalized children increased from 7 303 in 2010 to 10 902 in 2014, and the case fatality rate declined from 0.33% to 0.20% (P<0.05). The case fatality rate was highest (0.41%) in infants and lowest (0.11%) in newborns. As for the disease spectrum for these hospitalized children, in 2010, the top three diseases were leukemia, congenital heart disease, and pneumonia; in 2011, the top three diseases were tumor chemotherapy, congenital heart disease, and pneumonia; since 2012, tumor chemotherapy, epilepsy, and pneumonia had remained the top three diseases. The top three causes of death in hospitalized children were congenital malformation (39%, 39/99), tumor (13%, 13/99), and infectious diseases/parasitic diseases (8%, 8/99).

CONCLUSIONSThe number of hospitalized children is increasing, while the case fatality rate tends to decrease in this hospital. Tumor, epilepsy, pneumonia, and congenital heart disease are major diseases in hospitalized children, and congenital malformation is the primary cause of death.