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

ABSTRACT

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.