2014, Number 3
Clinical conditions at hospitalization and its relation with admission to pediatric intensive care unit
Language: Spanish
References: 11
Page: 290-295
PDF size: 131.61 Kb.
ABSTRACT
Background: The admission to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) depends on several factors, but the chances of recovery of the patient are the main cause. Most of the patients are admitted from urgency or surgery room, and a minority from hospitalization areas. The aim of this study was to fi nd the differences between the clinical conditions at the time of hospitalization and when the patients were transferred to PICU.Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 78 children under 17 years of age with a hospital stay before their admission to the PICU. We measured respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and metabolic conditions, when patients were admitted at hospitalization, and also for their admission to PICU. A evaluation of Pediatric Index of Mortality at the time of the admission to the PICU was applied. We analyzed the differences between those admitted before 24 hours of stay and those after 24 hours
Results: 44 patients (56.4 %) were less than 24 hours in a hospital ward and they had more unstable symptoms since their admission; most of them were previously healthy infants with acute diseases or severe injuries. In those patients with more than 24 hours of stay (43.6 %), and with better conditions at admission, the decision was related to complications with a former disease (23.5 % oncologic patients).
Conclusions: Medical conditions at the time of admission to a hospital could alert the medical staff for the early decision to transfer a patient to the PICU. Health history or previous diseases are important.
REFERENCES
Portillo H. Criterios de ingreso a la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos. Tesis para obtener el título de médico cirujano. Guatemala: Centro Universitario Metropolitano, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; 2002. Disponible en http://biblioteca.usac.edu.gt/ tesis/05/05_0184.pdf
Guidelines for developing admission and discharge policies for pediatric intensive care unit. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Hospital Care and Section on Critical Care. Society of Critical Care Medicine. Pediatric Section Admission Criteria Task Force. Pediatrics. 1999;103(4 Pt 1):840-2.
Hunt EA, Zimmer KP, Rinke ML, Shilkofski NA, Matlin C, Garger C, et al. Transition from a traditional code team to a medical emergency team and categorization of cardiopulmonary arrests in a children´s center. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(2):117- 22. Disponible en http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/ article.aspx?articleid=378997