title: Skin lesions in children admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit: an observational study.
abstract: We analysed, by a prospective observational study over a 3-year period, the frequency and character of dermatological symptoms and diseases in children admitted to a tertiary general paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university hospital. Skin problems were observed in 42 of 1,800 children admitted. There was a large variability in dermatological diseases in the PICU. In the majority (23/42), the skin problem was a dermatological manifestation of an underlying illness that caused admission to the PICU, e.g. infection, vasculitis or drug reaction. In four of the seven children who died, a direct relation between the dermatological disease and the cause of death could be established. Although the number of patients with relevant dermatological problems was limited, we believe that a skilled paediatric dermatologist is able to contribute to the effectiveness of diagnostic and therapeutic processes in paediatric intensive care patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, A0-228, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Postbox 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.h.sillevissmitt@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: J Henk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sillevis Smitt
authors.forename: Job B M
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: van Woensel
authors.forename: Albert P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Bos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents