A sixteen-year epidemiological profile of a pediatric intensive care unit, Brazil

Objective To review epidemiological data from patients admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Brazil, and to compare them to medical aspects associated to disease severity and mortality. Also, to profile these patients, including demographic data, disease prevalence, mortality rates and associated factors. Methods Retrospective data were collected from all patients admitted in a PICU of a university hospital between 1978 and 1994. Data were presented as percentages and compared using Chi-square, and calculating the relative risk (RR) with a 95% confidence interval, p < 0.05. Results Of 13, 101 patients selected, most of them were boys (58.4%), younger than 12 months of age (40.4%), well-nourished (69.5%), and with clinical disease (73.1%). The general mortality rate was 7.4%. Patients aged less than 12 months showed a RR of 1.86 (CI 1.65 - 2.10; p < 0.0001), while the RR of malnutrition was 2.98 (CI 2.64 - 3.36; p < 0.0001). Conclusions The epidemiological survey showed that the mortality is higher in malnourished children younger than 12 months of age. Sepsis was the most main cause of death.