Evaluation of Patients Followed in He Third Level Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Single Center Experience

Abstract

Pediatric intensive care practices have undergone great changes in the last 30 years. Our knowledge about the pathophysiology of life-threatening processes and the follow-up and treatment of pediatric patients with life-threatening diseases continues to expand in this process. In this study, the outcomes, treatment modalities, treatment responses and clinical characteristics of patients hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were evaluated. 497 patients who were hospitalized and followed up in Harran University Faculty of Medicine, PICU between January 2016 and December 2016 were evaluated. There were 276 (55.5%) male and 221 (44.5%) female patients in our study. The median age and median PICU stay of the patients were 23 months (1-212 months) and 7 days (1-134 days), respectively. The reasons for admission to the intensive care unit were respiratory system diseases in 171 patients (34.4%), poisonings in 88 patients (17.7%), neurological diseases in 71 patients (14.3%), gastrointestinal system diseases in 59 (11.9%) patients, 42 (4%) patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. The need for mechanical ventilation developed in 35.6% of the patients. 49.3% (n=245) of the patients had comorbid disease. Of the patients, 74.7% (n=371) were discharged from the PICU, 6.4% (n=32) were referred to another center, and 18.9% (n=94) died. Some factors affecting clinical outcomes and mortality were identified. As a result of the regression analyses of these factors, mechanical ventilation requirement (OR=192.8), multi-organ failure (OR=21.2), disseminated intravascular coagulation (OR=9.6), thrombocytopenia (OR=2.4) and positive inotropic drug requirement (OR= 2.3) were associated with mortality. The clinical results of the patients in the PICU were similar to the results of other PICUs in our country. Our findings showed that there are some factors affecting clinical outcomes. Mechanical ventilation requirement, multiple organ failure, disseminated intravascular coagulation, thrombocytopenia, and need for positive inotropic drugs were found to be effective on mortality. © 2023, Yuzuncu Yil Universitesi Tip Fakultesi. All rights reserved.