[Genetic diseases in pediatric patients hospitalised in the town of Ubaté, Colombia].

OBJECTIVE

Describing genetic disease frequency in a second-level hospital's in-patient paediatric service

METHODS

The hospital's statistical department's records for 2005 were comprehensively reviewed; the study was carried out in the town of Ubaté during 2006.

RESULTS

Complex diseases led to nearly 25% of all hospitalisations, including multifactor diseases and congenital malformations. However, an aetiological study and/or geneticist consultation or referral took place on a few occasions.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care hospitals should become more relevant reference centres for detecting genetic diseases amongst the paediatric population. New mechanisms are needed for implementing this to allow patients access to a geneticist and for an aetiological diagnosis to be made and providing suitable genetic counselling.