PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

PATTERN OF ADMISSIONS

Abstract

Intensive care is predominantly concerned with the management
of patients with acute life threatening conditions in a specialized unit. Children having acute neurological deterioration,
respiratory distress, cardiovascular compromise, severe infections and accidental poisonings constitute the major
admission to a pediatric intensive care unit. Objective: To document the number, disease pattern and outcome of
patients admitted to Pediatric intensive care unit. Design: Descriptive study. Place and Duration: The study was
conducted in the intensive care unit of department of Pediatrics, King Edward Medical University/Mayo hospital, Lahore
from July 01, 2004 to June 30, 2005. Patients and Methods: The data of all the admitted patients was analyzed for
age, sex, cause of admission and outcome. Results: A total of 1012 children were admitted during the study period.
Among them 59.68% were male and 40.32% were female. Bronchopneumonia was the major cause of admission
(29.05%) followed by septicemia (14.43%), acute bacterial meningitis (8.1%), acute watery diarrhea (6.92%), congenital
heart diseases (5.14%), tetanus (3.75%) ,acute myocarditis (2.67%) and others (29.94%) including acute bronchial
asthma, hepatic encephalopathy, diabetic ketoacidosis, encephalitis, tuberculous meningitis, accidental poisoning and
Guillain-Barre syndrome. Out of total admissions, 64.43% were shifted to different units of the department, 4.05%
discharged in satisfactory condition, 9.49% left against medical advice (LAMA) and 22.03% died. The case fatality of
septicemia (65.07%) was highest. Conclusion: Bronchopneumonia and septicemia were the major causes of
admission while case fatality was highest for septicemia in intensive care unit.