Review of medical admissions in a Tertiary Hospital in North-Eastern Nigeria: a retrospective study

Abstract

: Medical admission patterns provide valuable insight into prevailing disease burdens and healthcare system performance, particularly in low- and middle-income countries undergoing epidemiological transition. Data from North-Eastern Nigeria remains limited despite the region’s unique demographic and health challenges. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the pattern and spectrum of medical admissions at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), North-Eastern Nigeria. Methodology: This was a retrospective descriptive review of medical admissions at UMTH over 18 months (October 2018–March 2020). Patients aged ≥12 years admitted to the medical wards were included. Sociodemographic data, admitting subspeciality, disease categories, and specific diagnoses were extracted from hospital records. Data were analysed using SPSS version 23 and presented as frequencies, percentages, medians, and ranges. Results: Of 3,076 medical admissions recorded, 2,974 patients were analysed. The sex distribution
was nearly equal (49.4% males, 50.6% females), with a median age of 46 years (range 12–110). Most admissions occurred amongst patients aged 31–60 years. Admission rates peaked in the last quarter of 2019 and then declined sharply in early 2020. Nephrology accounted for the largest proportion of admissions (44%), followed by cardiology (11%) and Neurology (10%). Renal disorders were the leading disease category (47.1%), predominantly chronic kidney disease, with hypertensive nephropathy as the most common aetiology (51.7%). Cardiovascular diseases (11.4%) were mainly hypertensive heart disease with heart failure, while stroke accounted for nearly half of neurological admissions. Infectious diseases constituted 8.2% of admissions, with malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV infection being the most frequent. Conclusion: Medical admissions at UMTH are dominated by non-communicable diseases, particularly hypertension-related renal and cardiovascular conditions, affecting predominantly middle-aged adults.