Abstract
Introduction: The need for mechanical ventilation (MV) is an absolute indication for admission to Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Management of children requiring invasive ventilation in resource limited developing countries is challenging. Scare data is available from Asian countries regarding use of MV in PICUs. The objectives of this study were to determine the clinical profile, characteristics, common causes for ventilation, ventilation related complications and final outcome of these patients.Material and Methods: A retrospective study of children requiring ventilator support in PICU of Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences from January 2014 to December 2016 was done. Data collected included epidemiological trends, indications for ventilation, complications, length of stay on ventilator and outcome.Results: A total of 1172 patients were admitted to PICU, 101 (8.6%) patients required MV. 42% of the mechanically ventilated patients were infants and 75% were males. Impending respiratory failure (34.6%) and low Glasgow coma scale (17.8%) were the commonest indication for ventilation in this study. The median length of MV was 2.1 days. The mortality rate of these children was 38.6%. We report the epidemiological trends, frequency, indications and outcomes of children requiring ventilator support in PICU. Analysis of this data can be helpful in improving outcome in future by planning better treatment strategies.Conclusion: The frequency of MV in our PICU is low. Respiratory failure was the most common reason for mechanical ventilation.
Highlights
The need for mechanical ventilation (MV) is an absolute indication for admission to Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU)
The medical records of all children who received mechanical ventilation in a paediatric intensive care unit was reviewed and the data collected in each patient included: the basic demographic profile, indications for MV, length of MV and PICU stay, complications of MV and outcome of patient
A total of 1172 patients were admitted to the PICU during the three years study period, and 101 (8.6%) of them received invasive mechanical ventilation
Summary
The need for mechanical ventilation (MV) is an absolute indication for admission to Paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Management of children requiring invasive ventilation in resource limited developing countries is challenging. Data collected included epidemiological trends, indications for ventilation, complications, length of stay on ventilator and outcome. We report the epidemiological trends, frequency, indications and outcomes of children requiring ventilator support in PICU. Analysis of this data can be helpful in improving outcome in future by planning better treatment strategies. Patients receiving mechanical ventilation represent only a small proportion of hospitalizations, it is a life-saving invasive technology which is expensive, labour-intensive and is associated with various complications. The percentage of children receiving mechanical ventilation in PICUs ranges from 17-64% in developed countries[1,2].
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