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[Acute coma in children: etiology, morbidity and mortality]
Alfredo Löhr Junior1, Paulo Breno Noronha Liberalesso, Gisele Claudino Reck Luzzi
1Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Paraná, Brasil. fredd@rla01.pucpr.br
Arquivos De Neuro-Psiquiatria
|September 27, 2003
Summary
This study on pediatric acute coma found that one-third of children died, one-third had neurological sequelae, and one-third recovered fully. Etiologies included meningoencephalitis and epilepsy, highlighting critical care needs for these children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Neurology
- Intensive care unit (ICU) management
Background:
- Acute coma in children is a critical condition requiring intensive care.
- Understanding the causes (etiology) and outcomes (morbidity and mortality) is vital for improving patient care.
- This study focuses on pediatric patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Hospital Infantil Pequeno Príncipe (UTI-HIPP).
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the causes and outcomes of pediatric patients experiencing acute coma.
- To determine the morbidity and mortality rates in children hospitalized with acute coma in the UTI-HIPP.
- To evaluate neurological conditions upon discharge to understand long-term effects.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 104 patient records of children diagnosed with acute coma.
- Utilized the modified Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) with a score of 8 or less.
- Data collected from March 1998 to January 2001, including supplementary exams and discharge neurological status.
Main Results:
- The study included 104 children (54.8% male), aged 2 months to 13 years.
- Leading etiologies were meningoencephalitis (29.8%), epilepsy (23.1%), and toxic-metabolic disturbances (18.3%).
- Mortality was 22.1%, with 37.5% experiencing neurological sequelae, and 30.8% recovering without sequelae.
Conclusions:
- Approximately one-third of pediatric patients in acute coma died.
- Another third of the children developed significant neurological sequelae.
- A similar proportion, one-third, showed no long-term neurological complications.