Outcome in Children Admitted to the First PICU in Malawi*

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine · 13 authors, 6 centres

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TL;DR

This is a review of a prospectively constructed PICU database from the first PICU in Malawi, which found an overall mortality rate of 28.1%. The study identified neonatal age, decreased mental state, post-cardiac arrest, severe hypotension, high lactate, acidosis, and low platelets as factors associated with increased mortality.

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The primary outcome was PICU mortality, which was 28.1%. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with mortality. Neonates had a significantly higher mortality rate (52.7%) than older children (16.8%). Multivariable analysis identified seven factors associated with increased mortality: neonatal age (adjusted odds ratio, 4.0), decreased mental state (AOR, 5.8), post-cardiac arrest (AOR, 2.0), severe hypotension (AOR, 6.3), lactate >5 mmol/L (AOR, 4.2), pH <7.2 (AOR, 3.1), and platelets <150 x 10^9/L (AOR, 2.4). The study highlights the high burden of critical illness in a low-resource setting and the particular vulnerability of neonates. Limitations include missing data, lack of long-term outcome data, and potential selection bias for laboratory tests.

STUDY TYPE

cohort

SPECIALTY

pediatrics

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ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10226467

Outcome in Children Admitted to the First PICU in Malawi*

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

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ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Dedicated PICUs are slowly starting to emerge in sub-Saharan Africa. Establishing these units can be challenging as there is little data from this region to inform which populations and approaches should be prioritized. This study describes the characteristics and outcome of patients admitted to the first PICU in Malawi, with the aim to identify factors associated with increased mortality. DESIGN: Review of a prospectively constructed PICU database. Univariate analysis was used to assess associations between demographic, clinical and laboratory factors, and mortality. Univariate associations ( p < 0.1) for mortality were entered in two multivariable models. SETTING: A recently opened PICU in a public tertiary government hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. PATIENTS: Children admitted to PICU between August 1, 2017, and July 31, 2019. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 531 included PICU admissions, 149 children died (28.1%). Mortality was higher in neonates (88/167; 52.7%) than older children (61/364; 16.8%; p ≤ 0.001). On univariate analysis, gastroschisis, trachea-esophageal fistula, and sepsis had higher PICU mortality, while Wilms tumor, other neoplasms, vocal cord papilloma, and foreign body aspiration had higher survival rates compared with other conditions. On multivariable analysis, neonatal age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 4.0; 95% CI, 2.0–8.3), decreased mental state (AOR, 5.8; 95 CI, 2.4–13.8), post-cardiac arrest (AOR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0–8.0), severe hypotension (AOR, 6.3; 95% CI, 2.0–19.1), lactate greater than 5 mmol/L (AOR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.5–11.2), pH less than 7.2 (AOR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.2–8.0), and platelets less than 150 × 10 9 /L (AOR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1–5.2) were associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In the first PICU in Malawi, mortality was relatively high, especially in neonates. Surgical neonates and septic patients were identified as highly vulnerable, which stresses the importance of improvement of PICU care bundles for these groups. Several clinical and laboratory variables were associated with mortality in older children. In neonates, severe hypotension was the only clinical variable associated with increased mortality besides blood gas parameters. This stresses the importance of basic laboratory tests, especially in neonates. These data contribute to evidence-based approaches establishing and improving future PICUs in sub-Saharan Africa.

CITATION EXPORT

Mirjam A. de Visser, Diana Kululanga, Singatiya S. Chikumbanje et al.. Outcome in Children Admitted to the First PICU in Malawi*. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1097/PCC.0000000000003210

AUTHORS

13 · 6 CENTRES

Mirjam A. de Visser, Diana Kululanga, Singatiya S. Chikumbanje, Emma Thomson, Tiyamike Kapalamula, Eric S. Borgstein, Josephine Langton, Precious Kadzamira, Jenala Njirammadzi, Job B. M. van Woensel, Gunnar Bentsen, Patricia M. Weir, Job C. J. Calis

1 Department of Pediatric Intensive Care, Emma Children’s Hospital of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
2 Mercy James Center for Pediatric Surgery and Intensive Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
3 Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital & Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi.
4 Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital & Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi.
5 Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital & Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi.
6 Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Department of Anesthesiology, Oslo University Hospital–Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.