[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.
Einloft
Paulo Roberto
PR
Serviço de Terapia Intensiva e Emergência, Hospital São Lucas, Faculdade de Medicina, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
Garcia
Pedro Celiny
PC
Piva
Jefferson Pedro
JP
Bruno
Francisco
F
Kipper
Délio José
DJ
Fiori
Renato M
RM
D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies