# Reasons for Neonatal Presentations to Pediatric Emergency Departments in Catania: Multicentric Cross‐Sectional Analysis and Exhaustive Review of the Literature

## TL;DR

This study examines why newborns are brought to emergency departments in Catania, finding that many visits are for non-urgent issues, which strains healthcare resources.

## Contribution

The study provides a detailed analysis of neonatal emergency department admissions in Catania and links them to demographic and healthcare system factors.

## Key findings

- Neonatal jaundice, abdominal discomfort, and upper airway inflammation were the top three reasons for admissions.
- Most admissions were non-urgent, with 59% classified as green at triage.
- August had the highest number of admissions, while February saw the most hospitalizations.

## Abstract

This study aimed to characterize neonatal admissions to pediatric emergency departments (PEDs) in Catania, to analyze the primary pediatric conditions leading to these admissions, and to explore the association between the demographic characteristics of the population and the severity of their presentations.

A retrospective analysis was conducted on neonates (aged <28 days) admitted to three PEDs in Catania between January 2015 and December 2019. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the literature on this topic was performed.

A total of 5183 neonates presented during the study period, with a median age of 14 days at admission. The top three diagnoses were neonatal jaundice (15%), abdominal discomfort (12%), and upper airway inflammation (11%). The majority of cases were classified as non‐urgent (green) at triage (59%). Overall, 1296 patients (25%) required hospitalization; 95% of those assigned a yellow triage color at admission required hospitalization. Only 33% of hospitalized patients were referred by parents, while the majority were referred by primary care pediatricians. The highest number of admissions occurred in August, while the peak in hospitalizations was in February.

The majority of neonatal PED admissions are for non‐acute conditions that do not require immediate medical attention. This concerning trend leads to increased workloads for PED staff, higher healthcare costs, and potential risks to neonates. Possible causes include insufficient caregiver knowledge, inadequate parental education, and suboptimal transition from hospital to primary care pediatric services.

Reasons for Neonatal Presentations to Pediatric Emergency Departments in Catania: Multicentric Cross‐Sectional Analysis and Exhaustive Review of the Literature.