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Prolonged stay at the paediatric intensive care unit associated with paediatric delirium

Inge A P Smeets1, Eva Y L Tan, Helen G M Vossen

  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, European Graduate School of Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, P.O. Box 616 (DOT 10), 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|September 29, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Paediatric delirium (PD) in critically ill children significantly increases length of stay in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This condition also leads to a 1.5% rise in direct medical costs.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
  • Pediatric Hospital Medicine
  • Health Economics

Background:

  • Paediatric delirium (PD) is a common complication in critically ill children.
  • Understanding the impact of PD on healthcare resource utilization is crucial for optimizing care and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of paediatric delirium (PD) on length of stay (LOS) in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
  • To assess the effect of PD on direct financial costs within a routine care setting.

Main Methods:

  • A five-year prospective observational study (2002-2007) was conducted in a tertiary PICU.
  • Critically ill children (1-18 years) with and without PD were compared.
  • Predictors for PICU LOS included PD, population characteristics, and illness severity.

Main Results:

  • Paediatric delirium (PD) was associated with a prolonged PICU length of stay by 2.39 days.
  • This prolongation was independent of illness severity, age, gender, mechanical ventilation, and admission indication.
  • PD increased direct medical costs by 1.5%.

Conclusions:

  • Paediatric delirium (PD) has a negative prognostic influence on PICU duration.
  • PD contributes to increased direct medical costs in critically ill children.
  • Routine care detection of PD is important for resource management.

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