Influencing factors of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Mortality at Bernard Mevs Hospital from January 2017 to December 2017

Abstract Introduction: The morbi-mortality in a pediatric intensive care unit is an important determinant of child mortality worldwide. In Haiti, there are only two hospitals in the metropolitan area with a pediatric intensive care unit. The objective of this study is to identify the main factors influencing the mortality of patients aged 1 month to 16 years hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit at the Bernard Mevs Hospital (HBM). Methodology: We carried out a retrospecptive cross-sectional and analytical study over one year, within the Bernard Mevs Hospital Medishare Project (HBMPM). Our population consisted of all the patients aged 1 month to 16 years hospitalized in the pediatric intensive care unit of HBM from January 2017 to December 2017. Results From January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017, 122 files of patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care units (PICU) at HBM were selected. Among those patients, a male predominance was demonstrated with 76 patients, or 63.30%, with a sex ratio of 1.65. The average age of the patients was 5.73 ± 4.73 years. In 43 patients (35.26%), trauma was the main cause of hospitalization, followed by respiratory illnesses, found in 22 patients, or 18.04% of admissions. The mortality rate was 33.60%, dominated by septic shock in 24% of cases. The average days of hospitalization in the deceased population was 12 days. This study demonstrated that the probability of dying in the PICU is higher in male patients (p-value of 0.0049) and in patients who have been intubated (p-value of 0.0021). Conclusion Our study has demonstrated a high mortality rate among male patients and those who have been intubated. Most of the causes of admission were preventable. Other studies should be carried out to generalize data and identify key measures to reduce the infant and child mortality in Haiti.