Intensive care resources required to care for critically ill children with focal intracranial infections

Abstract

OBJECTIVEFocal intracranial infections such as intraparenchymal abscesses or localized infections in the epidural or subdural spaces are relatively rare infections associated with both morbidity and mortality in children. Although children with these infections frequently require surgical intervention, there is a paucity of literature describing the critical care resources required to manage these cases. This retrospective chart review was performed to evaluate the resources necessary to care for critically ill children with focal intracranial infections at the authors’ institution.METHODSThe authors performed a retrospective chart review of cases at their institution by using ICD-9/10 codes to identify children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for either intracranial abscess or extradural and subdural abscess between 2006 and 2016. All notes, medication administration records, laboratory/imaging results, vital signs, microbiological data, and electroencephalogram results were reviewed. Data were extracted to determine the utilization of the following resources: mechanical ventilation, vasoactive medications, and intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. The presence of intracranial hypertension, cerebral edema, seizure, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis were noted. Pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) score was determined based upon the neurological exam at discharge.RESULTSA total of 45 children met the inclusion criteria. Their median age was 9 years (IQR 3–14 years). The incidence of focal intracranial infections in children admitted to the PICU was 0.68/1000 PICU admissions in 2006 and 2.81/1000 admissions in 2016. Thirty-nine children (86.7%) underwent neurosurgical intervention. Twenty patients (44%) required invasive mechanical ventilation, 7 (15.6%) received vasoactive medications, and 11 (24%) had an ICP monitor. Clinical seizures were detected in 12 children, including 2 who had both clinical and subclinical seizures; 1 child had subclinical seizures only. Eight children (17.8%) developed cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. The median PCPC score was 1 (interquartile range [IQR] 1–3). The median PICU length of stay was 6.4 days (IQR 2.2–10.2 days). Children with seizures had a significantly longer hospital LOS than children without seizure.CONCLUSIONSIn this single-center, retrospective study, critical care needs for children with focal intracranial infections varied. Most frequently, patients required close neurological monitoring, and almost half required invasive mechanical ventilation. Future studies should focus on further elucidating the resources required to care for these children as well as detecting factors to identify those children most at risk for complications.