title: [Clinical conditions at hospitalization and its relation with admission to pediatric intensive care unit].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The admission to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) depends on several factors, but the chances of recovery of the patient are the main cause. Most of the patients are admitted from urgency or surgery room, and a minority from hospitalization areas. The aim of this study was to find the differences between the clinical conditions at the time of hospitalization and when the patients were transferred to PICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of 78 children under 17 years of age with a hospital stay before their admission to the PICU. We measured respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and metabolic conditions, when patients were admitted at hospitalization, and also for their admission to PICU. A evaluation of Pediatric Index of Mortality at the time of the admission to the PICU was applied. We analyzed the differences between those admitted before 24 hours of stay and those after 24 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  44 patients (56.4 %) were less than 24 hours in a hospital ward and they had more unstable symptoms since their admission; most of them were previously healthy infants with acute diseases or severe injuries. In those patients with more than 24 hours of stay (43.6 %), and with better conditions at admission, the decision was related to complications with a former disease (23.5 % oncologic patients).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical conditions at the time of admission to a hospital could alert the medical staff for the early decision to transfer a patient to the PICU. Health history or previous diseases are important.
authors.affiliation: Facultad Mexicana de Medicina, Universidad La Salle, Distrito Federal, México. drmariorendon@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Eva Karina
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Jáuregui
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco-Montero
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iglesias-Leboreiro
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bernárdez-Zapata
authors.forename: Mario Enrique
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rendón-Macías
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D008297:Male; D062072:Patient Acuity; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Hospital rapid response team; Hospitalization; Intensive care