Pattern of Mortality in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit from a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India

Background: Management of critically ill children poses a great challenge to the treating physician. With the advances in themanagement of critically ill children, there is an increased survival of critically ill children. Profile of mortality in the pediatricintensive care unit (PICU) varies between different age groups and between different studies. Childhood mortality is an importantindicator of health status of a country.Objective: The objective of the study was to study the pattern of mortality in a PICU.Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective study done at a tertiary care hospital. PICU records of all deaths were analyzedfrom January 2018 to December 2018.Results: Of 1993 admissions, there were 209 deaths. The mortality rate was 10.52%. One-hundred and nine children died dueto infections and 100 children died due to non-infectious causes.Conclusion: Overall infections were the major cause of death in children which are higher than the developed countries.Infections were the major cause of death in children under 5 years of age. In children older than 5 years, non-infectious causeswere the major cause of death. Mortality can be further reduced by improving infrastructure.

Profile of Congenital Heart Disease in Children with Down’s Syndrome Attending an Early Intervention Center in a Teaching Hospital in South India

Background: Down’s syndrome is the most common chromosomal disorder and the association between Down’s syndrome and congenital heart disease (CHD) is well established. The spectrum of CHD in Down’s syndrome shows wide variations due to genetic, socioeconomic, and geographic factors. The incidence of CHD in Down’s syndrome is around 40–60% and contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality in these children in the first 2 years of life. Objective: The objective of the study was to study the incidence and spectrum of CHD in children with Down’s syndrome attending special clinics. Materials and Methods: It is a prospective, observational, and monocentric study done over a period of 3 years (2016–2019). Echocardiogram was done to all children at the first visit. Results: Of the 120 children studied, 62 had CHD (52%) and ostium secundum atrial septal defect was the most common lesion (36%). Conclusions: The incidence of CHD in Down's syndrome in this study is 52%. Hence early cardiac screening is of paramount significance in all children with Down's syndrome.