The Usefulness of Perfusion Index for Predicting Mortality in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Introduction:The aim of this study is to the usefulness of the perfusion index to predict mortality in the pediatric intensive care unit.Methods:The study included patients aged >28 days and <18 years old, who were admitted to Mersin University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit between 2018 and 2019. Characteristic variables of patients, pediatric risk of mortality III and pediatric logistic organ dysfunction scores, the reason for hospitalization, surgical history, underlying disease, mechanical ventilation, transfusion, perfusion index value at the zeroth hour (at the admission) and at the sixth hour, lactate levels, and prognosis were recorded.Results:A total of 372 patients who met the study criteria were included in the study. Median perfusion index values at the zeroth and sixth hours were significantly lower in patients who were exitus than the survivors (p<0.001). Considering mortality and organ failure scores, the median values of pediatric risk of mortality III and pediatric logistic organ dysfunction scores were higher in those who were exitus and when compared with the perfusion index values at the zeroth hour, a negative significance was found between them. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, the specificity and sensitivity values for mortality were 90.1% and 75.9% at a perfusion index cut-off of ≤0.63, respectively.Conclusion:Perfusion index is a reliable method to predict mortality for patients admitted to pediatric intensive care unit.

Keywords

• perfusion index
• pediatric intensive care unit
• mortality