Clinical Profile and Outcomes of Children Admitted to a Brazilian ICU

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical profile of children admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in Southeast Brazil and to analyze predictive factors associated with mortality.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted over a ۲۴ month (August ۲۰۱۸–۲۰۲۰), including ۵۶۲ patients aged ۱ month to ۱۸ years admitted to the PICU. Patients were categorized into two groups: cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. Mann-Whitney U, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression were used for group comparisons, with a significance level set at ۵%.Results: The median age of the patients was ۳۱ months (interquartile range ۹-۱۰۸), with ۵۳.۹% being male. Surgical interventions predominated (۵۱.۲%), primarily for congenital heart diseases (۳۸.۸%). Other frequent causes of admission included respiratory disease (۱۹%) and sepsis (۱۴.۱%). Children with cardiac diseases had a higher incidence of mechanical ventilation (۶۶.۵% vs. ۴۸%, p<۰.۰۰۱) and vasoactive drug use (۵۷.۳% vs. ۲۴.۷%, p<۰.۰۰۱). However, they had shorter durations of invasive ventilation (۱ vs. ۵ days, p<۰.۰۰۱) and vasoactive drug use (۲ vs. ۳ days, p=۰.۰۳۲) compared to non-cardiac patients. A total of ۳۸ patients (۶.۸%) died, with a higher mortality rate observed among those with non-cardiac diseases (۹% vs. ۳.۲%, p=۰.۰۰۹).Conclusion: Non-cardiac patients had higher mortality rates and longer durations of invasive mechanical ventilation and vasoactive drug use. Cardiac disease patients experienced more favorable clinical outcomes in this study population.

کلیدواژه ها:

Heart Defects ، Congenital ، Intensive Care Units ، Pediatric ، Cardiac surgical procedures