Cases of Neurological Impairment in PICU

Background: Cases with neurological impairment, due to a variety of pathology seem to be frequent symptomatology of patients in a PICU. The above incidences were studied in a period of 3 years, while sex, age, clinical status in entrance, total stay in PICU and final outcome were retrospectively reviewed.

Objectives: The properties of the pathology determine the extent of the damage with sometimes mild symptoms and sometimes a rapid development that may end up in death. Hospital stay maybe long.

Methods: 56 cases were described with affected neurological image. 16 cases in 2016, 15 cases in 2017 and 25 cases in 2018. The neurological image varied with coma, convulsions, status epilepticus, or symptoms due to encephalitis or meningitis. 1 incident with known Dravet syndrome, 1 with metabolic edema and 1 case with surgical hematoma.

Results: The incidences concerned status epilepticus were 18/56 (32%), with coma were 8/56 (14%), with febrile convulsions 1/56 ((1,7%), meningitis 4/56 (7%), encephalitis 6/56 (11%). From them, 38/56 were boys (68%), while 18 were girls (32%). 5/56 (9%) were died (3/5 boys) while 3/5 had brain death (2/3 boys). Mean average of hospital stay14,4 days. The ages of the hospitalized children variety from 42 days to 13 years old.

Conclusions: A lot of incidences need the helpful treatment of PICU- mechanical or non mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic stabilization, combination of anticonvulsant drugs, antibiotic therapy- while a percentage of these are very serious with a long hospital stay. The population of boys is significantly higher, also the outcome.