[Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of acute diarrhea in adults at a hospital from Cordoba city]

The purpose of this work was to assess the clinical and epidemiologic presentation features of adult acute diarrhea in a general hospital form Córdoba City. All the patients older than 14 years old who assisted to the Hospital Nacional de Clínicas Central Guard for acute diarrhea, during the periods: A (15-12-89 to 15-03-90), B (15-12-93 to 15-03-94) and C (15-12-94 to 15-03-95), were included. 594 patients were studied: 337 female (56.7%) and 257 male, 143 in the period A, 250 in B and 201 in C. The means +/- SD age was 34.6 +/- 13.3 and stool loose per day at admission 7.3 +/- 4.7. Eighty six percent of patients presented liquid consistent stool, 89.6% abdominal pain, 44.7% vomiting and 18.8% bloody stools. The rate of patients who consulted Central Guard referring acute diarrhea increased from period A (2.4%) to B (3.61%); p = 0.002 and decreased form B to C (2.85%); p = 0.01. The mean (+/- SD) days transcurred from the beginning of diarrhea episode till consultation was 3.5 +/- 2.7; 2.7 +/- 2.3 y 2.9 +/- 3.5 in the periods A, B and C respectively, statistically significant difference between A and B, p < 0.01. Thirty six percent, 21.1% and 23.1% of patients presented mucus with their stools in the periods A, B and C (p = 0.01), and high temperature 61.1%, 48.1% and 48.5% respectively (p = 0.04). Twenty seven percent of stools samples cultures became positive in the periods A, 17.6% in B and 11.5% in C, statistically significant difference between A and C; p = 0.008. The results show that in a general hospital from Córdoba City the adult acute diarrhea is a frequent cause of consult. In the last years there were modifications in its clinical an epidemiologic presentation features.