Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Retrospective cross-sectional review of survival rates in critically ill children admitted to a combined paediatric/neonatal intensive care unit in Johannesburg, South Africa, 2013-2015.

BMJ Open 2016 June 4
OBJECTIVE: Report on survival to discharge of children in a combined paediatric/neonatal intensive care unit (PNICU).

DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cross-sectional record review.

PARTICIPANTS: All children (medical and surgical patients) admitted to PNICU between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2015.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome-survival to discharge. Secondary outcomes-disease profiles and predictors of mortality in different age categories.

RESULTS: There were 1454 admissions, 182 missing records, leaving 1272 admissions for review. Overall mortality rate was 25.7% (327/1272). Mortality rate was 41.4% (121/292) (95% CI 35.8% to 47.1%) for very low birthweight (VLBW) babies, 26.6% (120/451) (95% CI 22.5% to 30.5%) for bigger babies and 16.2% (86/529) (95% CI 13.1% to 19.3%) for paediatric patients. Risk factors for a reduced chance of survival to discharge in paediatric patients included postcardiac arrest (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.49), inotropic support (OR 0.085, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.17), hypernatraemia (OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.6), bacterial sepsis (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.65) and lower respiratory tract infection (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.97). Major birth defects (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.74), persistent pulmonary hypertension of the new born (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.91), metabolic acidosis (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.74), inotropic support (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.45) and congenital heart defects (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.62) predicted decreased survival in bigger babies. Birth weight (OR 0.997, 95% CI 0.995 to 0.999), birth outside the hospital (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.84), HIV exposure (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.99), resuscitation at birth (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.94), metabolic acidosis (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.60) and necrotising enterocolitis (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.46) predicted poor survival in VLBW babies.

CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing mortality review is essential to improve provision of paediatric critical care.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

Related Resources

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app