Evaluation of Pediatric Intensive Care Patients and Factors Affecting Mortality

Abstract

Introduction:Pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are the places where there are advanced technologic substructures for critically ill patients to survive, an important teamwork is displayed, and remarkable knowledge and experience are required.The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and demographic characteristics of the patients hospitalized in a PICU for one year, to reveal data on mortality, and to evaluate factors affecting mortality.Methods:Patients admitted to the PICU between 1 January and 31 December 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. The data on the indications for PICU hospitalization, underlying chronic diseases, duration of hospitalization, mortality scores, hospital infections, and certain patient groups (congenital heart surgery, liver and heart transplant) were collected. Mortality over a one-year period and factors affecting mortality were reported.Results:Six hundred twenty patients were included in the study. Two hundred seven (33.3%) of the patients were female and 413 (66.6%) were male. The mean age was 4.6 years. Two hundred twenty-eight patients (36.7%) had an underlying chronic disease. The most common hospitalization indications were cardiac disease (17.7%) and infection (16.6%). The mean length of stay and PRISM score were 9 days and 9.9, respectively. Standardized mortality rate was 0.9. Renal replacement therapy was performed in 27 patients, peritoneal dialysis in 5 patients and plasmapheresis in 16 patients. Nosocomial infection rate was calculated as 8.5. Sixty-five of 620 patients were exitus. Mortality rate was calculated as 10.3%. Patient’s underlying chronic diseases and PRISM scores at the time of hospitalization were associated with mortality and no significant correlation was found between age, duration of stay and expected mortality rate.Conclusion:In PICU, both internal and surgical patient groups were observed. Underlying chronic disease and PRİSM score affect mortality.

Keywords

• pediatric intensive care unit
• prism
• mechanical ventilation
• continuous renal replacement therapy
• ecmo