Q Mok1, W Butt. 1. Intensive Care Unit, Hospitals for Sick Children, London, UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To review our experience of children with meningococcal septicaemia, and to validate, in our group, severity scores used in different populations to predict outcome. DESIGN: Retrospective review of case notes and charts. PATIENTS: A total of 35 children were admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) in the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in the 8 years between January 1985 and December 1992 with proven meningococcal septicaemia. RESULTS: Ages ranged from 4 months to 16 years, with a median age of 20 months. The median meningococcal score was 4 and the median PRISM score was 20, with scores above these being significantly associated with death (P < 0.0001). Thirty-two children (91%) received infusions of colloid for hypovolaemia and twenty-nine (83%) received one or more inotropic drugs. Twenty-one children (60%) required mechanical ventilation for a median of 16.5 h (range 7-574). Seven children (20%) underwent plasmapheresis. Six children (17%) underwent haemofiltration and two (6%), peritoneal dialysis. One patient received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) because of circulatory failure. Twenty-one children (60%) developed disseminated intravascular coagulation, renal failure and/or skin or limb necrosis. The overall survival was 66%, and all survivors are functionally normal. CONCLUSION: The mortality from the disease remains at 34% despite the technological advances in intensive care. The PRISM and meningococcal scores are useful in predicting outcome. Novel methods of treatment (e.g., plasmapheresis or ECMO) may be valuable.
OBJECTIVE: To review our experience of children with meningococcal septicaemia, and to validate, in our group, severity scores used in different populations to predict outcome. DESIGN: Retrospective review of case notes and charts. PATIENTS: A total of 35 children were admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) in the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in the 8 years between January 1985 and December 1992 with proven meningococcal septicaemia. RESULTS: Ages ranged from 4 months to 16 years, with a median age of 20 months. The median meningococcal score was 4 and the median PRISM score was 20, with scores above these being significantly associated with death (P < 0.0001). Thirty-two children (91%) received infusions of colloid for hypovolaemia and twenty-nine (83%) received one or more inotropic drugs. Twenty-one children (60%) required mechanical ventilation for a median of 16.5 h (range 7-574). Seven children (20%) underwent plasmapheresis. Six children (17%) underwent haemofiltration and two (6%), peritoneal dialysis. One patient received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) because of circulatory failure. Twenty-one children (60%) developed disseminated intravascular coagulation, renal failure and/or skin or limb necrosis. The overall survival was 66%, and all survivors are functionally normal. CONCLUSION: The mortality from the disease remains at 34% despite the technological advances in intensive care. The PRISM and meningococcal scores are useful in predicting outcome. Novel methods of treatment (e.g., plasmapheresis or ECMO) may be valuable.
Authors: R P Dellinger; Mitchell M Levy; Andrew Rhodes; Djillali Annane; Herwig Gerlach; Steven M Opal; Jonathan E Sevransky; Charles L Sprung; Ivor S Douglas; Roman Jaeschke; Tiffany M Osborn; Mark E Nunnally; Sean R Townsend; Konrad Reinhart; Ruth M Kleinpell; Derek C Angus; Clifford S Deutschman; Flavia R Machado; Gordon D Rubenfeld; Steven Webb; Richard J Beale; Jean-Louis Vincent; Rui Moreno Journal: Intensive Care Med Date: 2013-01-30 Impact factor: 17.440