A comparative study of four cross-sectional investigations on the status of pediatric intensive care unit in China over the past 30 years

Abstract

Objective: To understand the history, current situation and trends of intensive care unit (ICU) of pediatrics in China over the past 30 years. Methods: The results of the cross-sectional investigation on the status of ICU of pediatrics in 2014 were compared with those in 1993, 2001 and 2009. The main measurements were the number of participated provinces and hospitals, the availability of equipment, staffing, and medical technologies, the major diseases and the source of the patients. Besides, the equipment allocation and technology implementation in 2014 were compared with the standards in the "recommendations on grading construction and management of children's intensive care unit in China" published in 2016. Results: The contents of the four surveys were slightly different, with only a few measurements not documented in one or more surveys. (1) The number of provinces and hospitals involved in the four surveys were 20 hospitals in 14 provinces in year 1993, 27 hospitals in 17 provinces in year 2001, 33 hospitals in 25 provinces in year 2009 and 108 hospitals in 25 provinces in year 2014. (2) In 1993, 2001, 2009 and 2014, the ratio of doctors/beds were 0.7∶1,0.8∶1, (0.4-0.5) ∶1 and 0.5∶1, and the ratio of nurses/beds were 1.1∶1,1.4∶1, (1.1-1.7) ∶1 and 1.3∶1, respectively. (3) Regarding the equipment availability, in 1993, 2001, 2009, and 2014, the numbers of monitors were 0.3/ICU, 0.3/bed, 1.1-1.4/bed and 1.0/bed; the numbers of invasive ventilators were 0.4/bed, 0.5/bed, 0.6/bed and 0.4/bed, respectively. In 2001, 2009 and 2014, there were 60.0%, 100.0% (33/33) and 88.0% (95/108) of the participating ICU equipped with blood gas analyzer, and 70.0%, 93.9% (31/33) and 90.7% (98/108) with bedside X-ray machines, respectively. In 2009 and 2014, 69.7% (23/33) and 92.6% (100/108) ICU were equipped with non-invasive ventilators respectively. In 2014, 10.2% (11/108) ICU were equipped with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) equipment and 45.4% (49/108) ICU with bedside continuous blood purification equipment. In 1993, 2001 and 2014, the numbers of infusion pump were 0.5/ICU, 1.1/bed and 1.7/bed, respectively. (4) Regarding the conducted medical technology, in 2014, invasive mechanical ventilation was used in 100% (108/108) ICU, and non-invasive ventilation in 89.8% (97/108) ICU. High frequency ventilation was used in 78.8% (26/33) and 38.0% (41/108) ICU in 2009 and 2014 respectively. Blood purification was used in 22.0%, 69.7% (23/33) and 47.2% (51/108) ICU, and the application of surfactant was in 48.0%, 97.0% (32/33) and 24.1% (26/108) ICU in 2001, 2009 and 2014, respectively. Nitric oxide inhalation (iNO) was used in 24.0% and 9.3% (10/108) in 2001 and 2014 respectively. ECMO was used in 6 and 7 hospitals in 2009 and 2014 respectively. (5) Compared with the criteria in the "recommendations on grading construction and management of children's intensive care units in China" in 2016, only the availability of monitors and conventional mechanical ventilation in 2014 met the standards.The original data in 2001 was not shown due to the lack of absolute values. Conclusions: The number of ICU of pediatrics and its beds in China increased significantly from 1993 to 2014, as well as the equipment availability and the conducted medical technology. But the status in 2014 was still far behind the recommendations in 2016, with a significant shortage of professional staff.