title: Echocardiography in PICU: when the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Echocardiography has become an indispensable bedside diagnostic tool in the realm of pediatric intensive care units (PICU). It has proven to be an influential factor in the formula of clinical decision-making. This study aimed to delineate the impact of echocardiography on the management of critically ill pediatric patients in the PICU at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in a five-bed PICU. Patients admitted to the PICU from January of 2011 to December of 2012 were reviewed. Those who have undergone bedside echocardiography during their ICU stay were recruited. Electronic patient record was used as data source.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over a-24-month period, 424 patients were admitted in this PICU. One hundred and one clinically indicated transthoracic echocardiograms were performed. 81.8% of these presented new findings (n=82) that significantly impacted the clinical decision of patient management, namely, alteration in drug therapy and procedure, whereas no difference in the management was yielded in the remaining 17.8% of the studied cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Echocardiography had a significant impact on the management of PICU patients. Such salutary effect was consequently reflected on the outcome. Pediatric intensivists are encouraged to acquire such bedside skill.
authors.affiliation: Child Health Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. Electronic address: fatmarabah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rabah
authors.affiliation: Child Health Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Khalfan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al-Senaidi
authors.affiliation: Child Health Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Beshlawi
authors.affiliation: Child Health Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Alddai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alnair
authors.affiliation: Child Health Department, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Anas-Alwogud Ahmed
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdelmogheth
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D009850:Oman; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
keywords: Cardiologia pediátrica; Clinical decision making; Cuidado intensivo pediátrico; Echocardiography; Ecocardiografia; Pediatric cardiology; Pediatric intensive care; Tomada de decisões clínica