Admission patterns and outcome in a pediatric intensive care unit of the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background: 

Intensive care unit is special unit primarily concerned with the care of patients with critical illness. Caring of critically ill children remains one of the most demanding and challenging aspects of the field of pediatrics.

Methods: 

A retrospective study design was conducted. All children from 1 month to 14 years of age who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit from September 2017 to September 2018 were included. Descriptive statistics was used to describe different characters.

Results: 

A total of 305 children were admitted over the study period. Most of patients were males (57.4%) with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. The overall mortality rate was 23.6%. The majority of the children were in the age range of 10–14 years (27.9%). Out of all patients, 23.6% were neurological cases and from these, 22.2% of patients were died. The highest percentages (12.8%) of neurological patients were admitted because of meningitis. Respiratory (19%) and cardiac (11.8%) cases were the second and the third causes of admission, respectively.

Conclusion: 

The leading cause of admission and death was neurological causes. Respiratory and cardiac causes were also significant. The mortality rate was very high. Further interventions are recommended to reduce mortality and increase quality of care.