Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background: Hypophosphatemia is often unrecognized in critically ill patients despite its potential serious complications.Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of hypophosphatemia and to identify risk factors and outcome associated with this disturbance in children admitted to PICU. Subjects and Methods:In a prospective cohort study, 72 children admitted consecutively to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) were monitored regarding their phosphorus serum levels during the first 7 days of admission.Age, gender, diagnosis at admission, malnutrition, clinical severity score at admission (pediatric index of mortality or PIM), sepsis (C-reactive protein and cultures), use of dopamine, diuretics, antacids and steroids, starvation period, length of stay and outcome were analyzed as independent variables for hypophosphatemia.Results: More than half of our patients (58%) had hypophosphatemia on admission and only 5 patients developed hypophosphatemia during their PICU stay.Malnutrition was present in 21% of patients, but it did not show association with the hypophosphatemia (p=0.1753).The number of starvation days, PIM, days on mechanical ventilation and survival to discharge were significantly associated with hypophosphatemia (p<0.05).Conclusion: Hypophosphatemia was a common problem in our PICU and was associated with the presence of respiratory complaints, higher PIM, and increased starvation days.These factors might be considered as risk factors for hypophosphatemia in critically ill children, especially when occur together.
Author: Hanaa Ibrahim Rady
Institution: Cairo University
Language: English
Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics
Field: Nursing
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2170587656