INTRODUCTION: There are limited reports on the epidemiology of paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions, deaths and organ donation candidacy. We aimed to describe PICU admission characteristics and outcomes, determine risk factors for mortality, and perform an independent assessment of missed organ donation opportunities. METHOD: We adopted a clinical audit design recruiting consecutive patients admitted to a single-centre multidisciplinary PICU from June 2020 to December 2023. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of survivors and non-survivors were described. Multivariable regression was performed to identify independent risk factors for mortality. Organ donation candidacy was evaluated by an independent team based on the criteria by Singapore's National Organ Transplant Unit. RESULTS: There were 1766 PICU admissions with mean age ± standard deviation of 5.9 ± 6.0 years. Surgical admissions accounted for 707/1766 (40%), while the most common medical admission category was respiratory (416/1766; 23.6%). The majority of 983/1766 (55.7%) had a chronic comorbidity and 312/1766 (17.6%) were dependent on at least 1 medical technology device. Mortality occurred in 99/1766 (5.6%). After adjusting for elective admissions and admission category; comorbidity with adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.03 (1.54-5.96); higher Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 (PIM 3) score with aOR 1.06 (95% CI 1.04-1.08); and functional status scale with aOR 1.07 (95% CI 1.00-1.13) were associated with mortality. Among non-survivors, organ donor candidacy was 21/99 (21.2%) but successful organ donation occurred in only 2/99 (2.0%). CONCLUSION In this single-centre audit, comorbidities, PIM 3 score and functional impairment were associated with mortality. Efforts are needed to improve paediatric organ donation rates.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Tissue and Organ Procurement/statistics & numerical data* ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric/statistics & numerical data* ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Infant ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Patient Admission/statistics & numerical data* ; Hospital Mortality ; Adolescent ; Medical Audit ; Comorbidity ; Clinical Audit

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to determine the usefulness and validity of the triaging scale used in our emergency department (ED) by analysing its association with surrogate clinical outcome measures of severity consisting of hospitalisation rate, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of ED stay, predictive value for admission and length of hospitalisation.

METHODSA retrospective observational study was conducted of the performance markers of the Singapore Paediatric Triage Scale (SPTS) to identify children who needed immediate and greater care. All children triaged and attended to at the paediatric ED at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014 were included. Data was retrieved from the Online Paediatric Emergency Care system, which is used for patients' care from initial triaging to final disposition.

RESULTSAmong 172,933 ED attendances, acuity levels 1, 2 plus, 2 and 3 were seen in 2.3%, 26.4%, 13.5% and 57.8% of patients, respectively. For admissions, triage acuity level 1 had a strong positive predictive value (79.5%), while triage acuity level 3 had a strong negative predictive value (93.7%). Fewer patients with triage acuity level 3 (6.3%) were admitted as compared to those with triage acuity level 1 (79.5%) (p < 0.001). There was a correlation between triage level and length of ED stay.

CONCLUSIONThe SPTS is a valid tool for use in the paediatric emergency setting. This was supported by strong performance in important patient outcomes, such as admission to hospital, ICU admissions and length of ED stay.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Critical Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Hospitals, Pediatric ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Patient Admission ; Pediatrics ; methods ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Triage ; methods

INTRODUCTIONThis study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with mortality in haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients admitted to our paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) over an 8-year period.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective chart review was conducted of all HSCT patients requiring PICU admission at our centre (a tertiary care university hospital in Singapore) from January 2002 to December 2010. Chief outcome measures were survival at the time of PICU discharge and survival at 6 months after initial PICU admission.

RESULTSNinety-eight patients underwent HSCT during this period; 18 patients (18%) required 24 PICU admissions post-HSCT. The overall survival to PICU discharge was 62.5%. Of those who survived discharge from the PICU, 33% died within 6 months of discharge. Non-survivors to PICU discharge had a higher incidence of sepsis (89% vs 33%,= 0.013) and organ failure as compared to survivors (cardiovascular failure 100% vs 20%,= 0.0003; respiratory failure 89% vs 20%,= 0.002; and renal failure 44% vs 7%,= 0.047). Mortality rates were higher in patients requiring mechanical ventilation (70% vs 14%,= 0.010) and inotropic support (70% vs 14%,= 0.010). Mortality in all patients with renal failure requiring haemodialysis (n = 4) was 100%. Presence of 3 or more organ failures was associated with 80% mortality (= 0.003).

CONCLUSIONSepsis, multiple organ failure and the need for mechanical ventilation, inotropes and especially haemodialysis were associated with increased risk of mortality in our cohort of HSCT patients.

Adolescent ; Cardiotonic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heart Failure ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Male ; Multiple Organ Failure ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Prognosis ; Renal Dialysis ; statistics & numerical data ; Renal Insufficiency ; epidemiology ; mortality ; therapy ; Respiration, Artificial ; statistics & numerical data ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; epidemiology ; mortality ; therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Sepsis ; epidemiology ; mortality ; Singapore ; epidemiology

OBJECTIVETo learn application status of continuous blood purification (CBP) in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), to provide reference to promote the development of CBP technology.

METHODThe survey of CBP application was conducted using questionnaire in 40 hospitals providing intensive care, which included children's hospitals and the pediatric sections of general hospitals from 28 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions in China during March to July of 2012.

RESULTTotally 38 hospital replied, 25 hospitals carried out CBP technology, first carried out in 1997, the median year was 2008, 21 hospitals' PICU could independently carry out CBP device, 18 hospitals had the nurses who could professionally operate, routinely maintain the device. Continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration was the largest implementation mode of CBP, accounting for 51.9%. Twenty-three hospitals used ordinary heparin, and 2 hospitals used low molecular weight heparin; 21 hospitals chose activated partial thromboplastin time as the coagulation testing, due to lack of equipment, only four hospitals chose activated clotting time as coagulation testing. Only 3 hospitals could apply before and after dilution joint technology. Kidney failure is still the disease accounting for the highest proportion of diseases requiring CBP application, accounting for 38.1%, followed by sepsis, 19.1%, drug poisoning 16.7%.

CONCLUSIONCBP started 10 years ago, and got attention and promotion nearly five years ago in China, but the associated personnel, equipment were inadequate, anticoagulation, before and after dilution and other technical applications were not complete enough, high volume hemofiltration mode was seldom used.

Anticoagulants ; administration & dosage ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Hemofiltration ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Heparin ; administration & dosage ; Hospitals, Pediatric ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Partial Thromboplastin Time ; Renal Dialysis ; methods ; Renal Insufficiency ; therapy ; Sepsis ; therapy ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo summarize the spectrum of disease and common diseases that cause death in children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University between 2005 and 2012.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical data of 4484 children admitted to the PICU of Shengjing Hospital between 2005 and 2012.

RESULTSAcute bronchopneumonia, which was found in 1099 (24.51%) of the 4484 cases, was the most common disease in the PICU between 2005 and 2012. The incidence of intracranial infection, sepsis, hand-foot-mouth disease and trauma showed an increasing trend from 2005 to 2012, but that of non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, epilepsy and congenital heart disease showed a decreasing trend. The mortality decreased from 11.5% in 2005 to 3.1% in 2012, and the overall mortality was significantly higher in 2005-2008 than in 2009-2012 (11.98% vs 4.41%; P<0.01). The main causes of death included severe acute bronchial pneumonia, severe sepsis, complex congenital heart disease, severe cerebral trauma, respiratory failure, severe hand-foot-mouth disease, acute poisoning and circulatory failure.

CONCLUSIONSAcute bronchopneumonia was the most common disease in the PICU of Shengjing Hospital between 2005 and 2012, but the spectrum of disease changed over time. The mortality showed a decreasing trend among the children in the PICU between 2005 and 2012, and the main causes of death included severe acute bronchial pneumonia and severe sepsis.

Adolescent ; Cause of Death ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Infant ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; statistics & numerical data ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVEAcute intracranial hypertension/cerebral edema (ICH/CE) is an increase in brain volume caused by an absolute increase in cerebral tissue water content. Severe ICH/CE is often associated with a higher mortality and higher neurological consequence rate in intensive care unit. However, little relevant information is available on critical condition of central nervous system in children. The aim of this survey was to study the causes, clinical epidemiology and risk factors of critical illness with ICH/CE in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

METHODSCase records of critically ill patients with ICH/CE admitted to PICU in Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University during the period from January, 1999 to December, 2003 were reviewed for causes, case fatality rate, prognosis and relationship with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Univariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with ICH/CE.

RESULTSDuring the 5 years, 1446 cases with critical illnesses were admitted and ICH/CE developed in 216 patients. The leading causes of ICH/CE were central nervous system infection (27.8%), accidental injuries (22.4%), and sepsis (10.2%). The overall mortality of the patients with ICH/CE was 29.2%. The mortality showed no significant change during the years from 1999 to 2003 (chi(2) = 0.371, P = 0.985). There was no significant difference in mortality of patients with ICH/CE between those with and without neurological diseases (chi(2) = 0.546, P = 0.460). Univariate analyses involving 12 factors indicated the following risk factors: younger age, number of failed organ, lower pediatric critical illness score, underlying diseases, abnormal respiration and change in size of pupil (P < 0.05 or < 0.001). The following factors were not associated with higher risk of death from ICH/CE: sex, organ of primary disease, Glasgow coma score ( 7) on admission, elevated blood pressure and anterior fontanelle change (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe mortality of ICH/CE remains high since 1999. Central nervous system infection, accidental injuries, and sepsis were leading causes of ICH/CE in PICU of the hospital. Children who had ICH/CE due to younger age, lower pediatric critical illness score, and complicated with MODS had a higher mortality rate.

Acute Disease ; Brain Edema ; mortality ; Child ; China ; epidemiology ; Critical Illness ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; statistics & numerical data ; Intracranial Hypertension ; mortality ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; statistics & numerical data ; Lung Diseases ; epidemiology ; mortality ; physiopathology ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Survival Rate