Determination of Risk Factors and Mortality for Pediatric Chronic Critical Illness in Turkey

Patients receiving acute critical cause of ICU in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) may be hospitalized for longer periods of time due to accompanying diseases or iatrogenic causes. This disease is called "Chronic Critical Illness" (CCI). CCI is associated with prolonged acute mechanical ventilation, but there is no definition in the literature for newborns. Pediatric CCI is estimated to be similar to adults. In the United States, the number of CCI is around 250,000, which is estimated to have doubled in the last 10 years. 50% of patients die in one year and much less than 12% recover. The estimated annual cost for the CCI in the United States is over $ 20 billion. The prevalence of Pediatric CCI in Turkey is unknown. In this study, it was aimed to investigate risk factors, mortality and cost of children with chronic critically ill and newborn patients in intensive care units in Turkey.

Inclusion criteria

• Chronic Critical IIlness
• The patients who are younger than 18 years old and staying in ICU for at least 14 days.

(The patients who is newborn and stay in the intensive care unit for 30 days in addition to prematurity).

At least one of the additional criteria;

• Prolonged acute mechanical ventilation
• Tracheostomy
• Sepsis
• Severe wound (burn) or trauma
• Encephalopathy (Post resuscitation syndrome, Asphyxia, Intra-cranial hemorrhage, Metabolic disease, etc.)
• Traumatic brain injury
• Status epilepticus
• Post operative (Cardiac and noncardiac)
• Neuromuscular disease (Spinal Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy)

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with a disease other than a chronic critical disease
• Patients older than 18 years