Validation of the PELOD score for multiple organ dysfunction in children

We conducted a prospective study to identify the children having multiple organ dysfunction at admission using the PELOD score, and its impact on the mortality in a pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital in north India over a 13 month period. Data were collected in a predesigned collection sheet and the PELOD score was calculated. 209 patients were admitted. In 37.2% primary indication of admission was severe sepsis/ septic shock. Ninety-one percentage of children admitted had multiple organ dysfunction. The area under the curve for predicting death using PELOD score equation was 0.80.