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Paediatric intensive care admissions for acute diabetes complications

M R Burns1, H J Bodansky, R C Parslow

  • 1James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, UK. mark.burns@stees.nhs.uk

Diabetic Medicine : a Journal of the British Diabetic Association
|June 16, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Acute diabetes complications are an increasing cause of pediatric intensive care admissions, especially in teenage girls. While overall mortality is low, improved diagnosis and management are needed to reduce intensive care admissions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Intensive Care Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Acute diabetes complications represent a significant concern in pediatric healthcare.
  • Understanding admission patterns and outcomes is crucial for resource allocation and patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize children admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) for acute diabetes complications in England and Wales.
  • To analyze the trends, demographics, and outcomes of these admissions.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of PICU admissions for acute diabetes complications.
  • Data sourced from the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit Network (PICANet) between April 2003 and March 2007.

Main Results:

  • 341 admissions for acute diabetes complications (0.6% of total PICU admissions).
  • Ketoacidosis was the primary reason (87%), with a higher proportion of female admissions (56%).
  • Adolescents (11-15 years) constituted 40% of admissions; 5 deaths (1.5%) occurred, all female.

Conclusions:

  • Acute diabetes complications are a growing reason for PICU admission, particularly among adolescent females.
  • The overall mortality rate for these admissions is low.
  • Earlier diagnosis and improved diabetes management can potentially reduce PICU admissions.
Abstract

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