OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between vasoactive-inotropic score (VIS) and prognosis in children with septic shock.

METHODSA total of 117 children with decompensated septic shock who received the treatment with vasoactive agents were enrolled. According to their prognosis, they were divided into death group with 41 children and survival group with 76 children. With the maximum VIS within the first 24 hours (24hVIS max) as the cut-off value (29.5), the children were divided into low VIS group with 78 children and high VIS group with 39 children. The 24hVIS max and the mean VIS within the first 24 hours (24hVIS mean) were calculated for all children. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for the association between VIS and the prognosis of septic shock.

RESULTSCompared with the survival group, the death group had significantly higher 24hVIS max, 24hVIS mean, PRISM III score, and level of lactate before the use of vasoactive agents and after 24 hours of use (P<0.05). 24hVIS max, 24hVIS mean, PRISM III score, level of lactate before the use of vasoactive agents and after 24 hours of use, and 24-hour pH had a certain value in predicting the prognosis of septic shock, but 24hVIS max had the largest area under the ROC curve. Compared with the low VIS group, the high VIS group had significantly higher number of deaths, PRISM III score, and level of lactate before treatment and after 24 hours of treatment (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSVIS is associated with the mortality of children with septic shock, and the severity and mortality of patients increase with the increase in VIS.