Introduction:

Allergic diseases are common in pediatric age and their prevalence has increased in recent years. The literature is scarce regarding the referral of pediatric patients to the Allergy and Clinical Immunology outpatient clinic at tertiary hospitals, but this is relevant because, in addition to being responsible for the diagnosis and management of allergic diseases, this specialty mainly provides outpatient care.

Objective:

This study aimed to describe the origin and reason for referral of patients to the Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital.

Material and Methods:

Retrospective study including all first appointments of patients referred to the Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology outpatient clinic of a tertiary hospital between January and December 2020. Patients’ demographic data, as well as origin and reason for referral were recorded.

Results:

A total of 751 patients were included in the study, 52.5% (n=394) of whom were male. The mean age of referral was nine years (σ ± 5), with most children being under the age of 10. General practitioners were responsible for most referrals (41%) and respiratory diseases were the main reason for referral. Pediatrics was the second most referring specialty overall, mainly due to drug allergy, and the first most referring specialty regarding preschool-aged children. Otorhinolaryngology was responsible for 20% of pediatric referrals, solely due to respiratory diseases. Dermatology was responsible for 1.5%, Stomatology for 0.5%, and Medical Genetics for 0.3% of referrals.

Conclusion:

The authors highlight the importance of inter-specialty communication to avoid unnecessary delays in patient management, with quality of life implications.

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