Hypophosphatemia associated risk factors in pediatric intensive care patients

Emine Sibel Şan1, Seher Erdoğan2, Mehmet Boşnak2

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey.

Insights

Hypophosphatemia, a condition of low phosphate levels, affects nearly 30% of pediatric intensive care patients. Key risk factors include low potassium, malignant solid tumors, and female gender, necessitating further research.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine
  • Clinical Chemistry
  • Pediatric Nephrology

Background:

  • Hypophosphatemia is a common electrolyte imbalance in critically ill children.
  • Identifying risk factors is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of hypophosphatemia in pediatric intensive care patients.
  • To identify associated risk factors for hypophosphatemia in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective study conducted in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit from June 2014 to December 2014.
  • Inclusion of 57 pediatric patients with analysis of demographic, clinical characteristics, and laboratory values.
  • Multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify independent risk factors.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of hypophosphatemia on admission was 28.1% (16 out of 57 patients).
  • Hypophosphatemic patients had significantly lower potassium and creatinine levels compared to normophosphatemic patients.
  • Independent risk factors identified were low potassium level (OR: 16.76), malignant solid tumors (OR: 52.40), and female gender (OR: 6.18).

Conclusions:

  • Hypophosphatemia is prevalent in pediatric intensive care settings.
  • Low potassium, malignant solid tumors, and female gender are significant risk factors for hypophosphatemia in these patients.
  • Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are recommended to validate these findings.

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