ABSTRACT
Background: Epistaxis is a mostly self-limiting condition
common among children and is rarely severe. In this study, it was aimed
to evaluate the incidence, demographic characteristics, causes of
bleeding and treatment methods of patients who applied to the Pediatric
Emergency Department (PED) with epistaxis, and to determine in which
cases a laboratory test should be used.
Method: Admitted to Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, PED
which provides trauma care and is a tertiary hospital, between January
1, 2019 and December 31, 2019, 452 patients aged 0-18 years who
presented with epistaxis to any reason or secondary to systemic disease
were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: The annual incidence was found 1.23%. The median age
was 63 months, 258 of the cases (57.1%) were male. It was found that
the cases most frequently applied to the hospital in the autumn months
(37.6%). Sixty of the patients (13.3%) had a chronic disease and 54
(11.9%) had a history of drug use. Bleeding time was less than 5
minutes in 75.2% and 84.4% of the bleeding was unilateral. Nasal
bleeding is local in 73.4%; 4.7% of them developed due to systemic
reasons. The most common cause of epistaxis; while they were trauma at
the first 10 years of age, they were idiopathic causes after the age of
10 years. In 434 (96%) of the patients, epistaxis spontaneously stopped
and there was no need for additional treatment.
Conclusion: As a result of this study, it was concluded that
laboratory tests should be performed in cases with chronic disease
history, bilateral bleeding, active bleeding and nontraumatic epistaxis.
The situation that causes epistaxis in the childhood age group should be
determined with a good history and physical examination, laboratory
tests should not be used in every patient.
Key Words: pediatric emergency, epistaxis, laboratory
examinations, complete blood count