Jose Colleti Junior, MD, PhD
Hospital Assunção Rede D'Or
São Paulo, Brazil
Disclosure information not submitted.
Fernanda Lima-Setta, MD
Attending Physician
Instituto D'Or de Ensino e Pesquisa, Brazil
Disclosure information not submitted.
Orlei de Araujo, MD, PhD
Attending Physician
GRAACC, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Nelson Horigoshi, MD
PICU Coordinator
Hospital Infantil Sabará, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Regina Grigolli Cesar, MD, PhD
Attending Physician
Hospital Infantil Sabará
São Paulo, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Andréia Souza, RT
Respiratory Therapist
Hospital Infantil Sabará, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Flávia Foronda, MD, PhD
Attending Physician
Hospital Sírio-Libanês, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Carlos Gustavo de Almeida, MD
Attending Physician
Hospital Assunção Rede D'Or São Luiz, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Lara de araujo Torreão, MD
Attending Physician
Hospital Aliança, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Francielly Crestani, RD
Nutritionist
Hospital São Lucas, PUCRS, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Ana Paula Panzeri Carlotti, MD, PhD
PICU Coordinator
Hospital das Clínicas de Ribeirão Preto, FMRP-USP, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Pedro Ramos Garcia, MD, PhD
PICU Coordinator
Hospital São Lucas, PUCRS, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Title: Prevalence and Functional Status of Children with Complex Chronic Conditions in Brazilian PICUs
Objective: The proportion of children with complex chronic conditions is increasing in PICUs around the world. We determined the prevalence and functional status of children with complex chronic conditions in Brazilian PICUs.
Methods: We conducted a point prevalence cross-sectional study among fifteen Brazilian PICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study had IRB consent. We enrolled all children admitted to the participating PICUs with complex chronic conditions on 3 different days, 4 weeks apart, starting on April 4th, 2020. We recorded the patient’s characteristics and functional status at the admission and discharge days.
Results: During the 3 study days from March to June 2020, we enrolled 248 patients admitted to the 15 PICUs; 148 had CCC (prevalence of 59.7%). Patients had a median of 1 acute diagnosis and 2 chronic diagnoses. The use of resources/devices was extensive. The main mode of respiratory support was conventional mechanical ventilation. Most patients had a peripherally inserted central catheter (63.1%), followed by a central venous line (52.5%), and 33.3% had gastrostomy or/and tracheostomy. The functional status score was significantly better at discharge compared to admission day due to the respiratory status improvement.
Conclusions: The prevalence of children with CCC admitted to the Brazilian PICUs during the COVID-19 pandemic was higher than studies in other countries, representing 59.7% of patients in the PICUs. The functional status of these children improved during hospitalization, mainly due to the respiratory component.