Brief resolved unexpected event: prevalence, etiology and epidemiologic characteristics in Lebanon. a retrospective study of hospitalizations in a tertiary-care center

Abstract

Objective: A Brief Resolved Unexplained Event (BRUE) is a common condition in infancy. However, no epidemiological study has been undergone in Lebanon. This study aims to establish the prevalence and the characteristics of the population hospitalized after a BRUE. Material and methods: A single-center retrospective study performed from 1998 to 2018 included 156 hospitalized infants, aged less than one year old, in a tertiary medical center. Data were collected from hospital archives. Results: Most infants (92.9%) hospitalized after a BRUE were aged less than 6 months old, with a slight masculine predominance (52.6%). No pathognomonic symptom was identified. In terms of recurrence of the initial episode, it occurred in 55.1% of the cases. A transfer to a reanimation unit took place in 35.9% of patients, with an average stay of 6.3 days. Two infants were deceased and six were readmitted for the same chief complaint. Final confirmed diagnosis was a Gastro-Esophageal Reflux (GER) in 60.9%. Consequently, a milk change occurred in 17.9% and a GER treatment in 65.4%. Conclusion: Infants younger than one year and hospitalized for a BRUE present a majority of confirmed GER diagnosis, and seem to have an excellent prognosis.