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Reducing malnutrition in critically ill pediatric patients.
Caroline Abud Drumond Costa1, Pedro Celiny Ramos Garcia1,2, Daiane Drescher Cabral1
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Pediatria e Saúde da Criança, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul - Porto Alegre (RS), Brasil.
Revista Brasileira De Terapia Intensiva
|July 12, 2018
Summary
Malnutrition prevalence significantly decreased in a pediatric intensive care unit over time. This improvement in pediatric critical care nutrition reduced negative patient outcomes, aligning with global child nutrition trends.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Nutritional epidemiology
- Global child health
Background:
- Malnutrition is a significant concern in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).
- Understanding trends in pediatric malnutrition is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
- Previous data on nutritional status in critically ill children is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the prevalence of malnutrition in a PICU across two distinct time periods.
- To assess the association between malnutrition and clinical outcomes (mortality, length of stay) in critically ill children.
- To evaluate changes in the nutritional profile of pediatric patients over time.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study design.
- Inclusion of patients admitted to a university hospital's PICU during two one-year periods, separated by four years.
- Nutritional status assessed using body mass index-for-age, based on admission weight and height, classified per World Health Organization guidelines.
Main Results:
- A total of 881 patients were analyzed (406 contemporary, 475 historical).
- A statistically significant reduction in malnutrition was observed in the contemporary sample (p = 0.03).
- In the historical sample, malnutrition was linked to increased mortality and longer hospital stays; this association was not found in the contemporary sample.
Conclusions:
- Significant reduction in malnutrition prevalence within the studied PICU between the two time periods.
- The observed shift in nutritional status among critically ill children supports global trends in pediatric and adolescent nutrition.
- Improved nutritional care in PICUs may contribute to better patient outcomes.
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