Pediatric intracerebral hemorrhage is a rare condition among children. We discuss the case of a 7-year-old Filipino male with generalized tonic seizures and diagnosed to have both SARS-CoV-2 infection and hypertension secondary to renal arterial stenosis. The occurrence of intracerebral hemorrhage in children, though commonly caused by arteriovenous malformations, may be secondary to an acute hypertensive episode. In this case, the presence of COVID-19 in the patient may have been contributory to the development of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage due to its direct endothelial effects, as well as its dysregulatory action on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
COVID-19 ; Hypertensive Crisis ; Renal Artery Obstruction

BACKGROUND

Primary care for pediatric patients focuses on providing comprehensive, accessible, and coordinated healthcare from the neonatal period to adolescence. The implementation and use of electronic medical records (EMR) in pediatric primary care facilities is an efficient strategy to gather necessary information on the epidemiology of common pediatric diseases in the Philippines.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the frequency distribution of pediatric diseases in a rural primary healthcare facility in the Philippines.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study reviewed the EMR of all pediatric patients who consulted in a primary care facility in Samal, Bataan from April 2019 to March 2021. Data gathered include sex, age in years, chief complaint, diagnosis, and month of consultation. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

A total of 14,462 pediatric consults were recorded from April 2019 to March 2021. There were slightly more male patients (52.1%). The mean age of the patients was 6.5 years (standard deviation 5.22). The highest number of consults came from the 1- to 4-year-old age group (41.5%). The most common chief complaints were cough (45.9%), fever (25.5%), and colds (24.9%). The most frequent diagnoses were upper respiratory tract infections (47.4%), followed by lower respiratory tract infections (6.9%), and skin and soft tissue infections (5.3%). Majority of the consults for respiratory tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, gastroenteritis, asthma, and dermatitis were in the 1- to 4-year-old age group. Urinary tract infections and otitis media or externa were recorded more frequently in the 5- to 9-year-old age group.

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory tract infections, followed by skin and soft tissue infections, were the most frequently identified diseases in children consulting a primary care facility at a rural site in the Philippines. The most common chief complaints, defined as the primary reason for seeking consult, were cough, fever, and colds. Data was gathered through EMR review, which may aid in the planning of programs and policies to improve primary care service delivery.

Electronic Health Records ; Electronic Medical Record