title: Comparative assessment of pediatric intensive care in Moscow, the Russian Federation: a prospective, multicenter study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Comparative assessment of pediatric intensive care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective multicenter study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four pediatric intensive care units in Moscow, the Russian Federation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive unselected admissions (n = 583), < or = 14 yrs of age, in a 6-month period.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Effectiveness was defined as the ratio of observed to predicted mortality, based on prediction by Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) severity of illness scoring. Efficiency (on the day of admission only) depended on either a mortality risk of > 1% or the administration of intensive care unit-dependent therapies. In all four hospitals, observed mortality rates were higher than expected, with a range of standardized mortality ratios between 1.10 and 1.83 (mean 1.32). The excess mortality was found in the low- and medium-risk strata (risk of mortality of < 1% to 15%). Admission efficiency ratings did not fluctuate greatly between institutions (mean 60.4%, range 55.7 to 65.9).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We provided a quantitative description and assessment of pediatric intensive care in Moscow. Moderate efficiency may reflect a low threshold for ICU admission due to poor nurse/patient ratios on the wards. Effectiveness in the low- and medium-risk strata is below standard, as compared with a Western reference population. Excess mortality was concentrated in the low- and medium-risk strata, and can only partially be explained by the inclusion of co-morbidity. Future analysis should focus on specific treatment protocols, protocol adherence, and the determination of infectious and therapeutic complications.
authors.affiliation: Russian office of Project HOPE, Russian Federation, Moscow.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: DiCarlo
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Zaitseva
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Khodateleva
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Belayeva
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Stroganov
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Korobko
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mescheryakov
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: V F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Alies
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009026:Mortality; D009031:Moscow; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors