Paediatric admissions to a district general hospital intensive care unit

Abstract

SummaryThe characteristics of all the paediatric admissions made to a district general hospital over a three‐year period were analysed in this study. Paediatric admissions averaged 23 per year (10% of the total admissions to the unit over that time). The mean age was six years, median age was four years. Sixty‐two per cent were medical admissions and 38% surgical. Forty‐seven per cent of the surgical admissions involved head injuries. Seventy‐four per cent of medical admissions were directly related to upper and lower airway problems. Mean total admission time was six days, with a median of two days. Fifty‐nine per cent (40) of all cases required intubation for a mean period of five days (median = three days). All cases were PRISM scored (Pollack, Ruttimann & Getson 1988). The mean score was 8. Ninety‐four percent of admissions surviving to go home. There were a total of four deaths over the three‐year period. The PRISM scores of those who died had a mean of 30, which was significantly different (P < 0.05) from the survivors who had a mean PRISM score of six and a median of four. The organs of one of the nonsurvivors were transplanted. Currently there is considerable interest in the feasibility of transferring all paediatric intensive care patients to a regional centre, the consequences of such a policy must be carefully assessed if its implementation is to be a success.