Evaluation of the outcome of patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Alexandria using the pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) score

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the use of pediatric risk of mortality (PRISM) score to predict the patient outcome in Alexandria Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). The study included all admissions to a tertiary care teaching hospital for 13 months. All patients were subjected to thorough history taking and clinical examination. The PRISM score was obtained within 8 h from admission (including 14 parameters with 34 variables). The primary affected system, referral site, number of organ failure on admission, length of hospital stay (LOS) and outcome of patients were recorded. The bed occupancy rate, turnover rate, average LOS, total and adjusted death rates were also recorded. Results showed that the total and adjusted mortality rates were 50 and 38 per cent respectively (n = 205/406 and 125/326, respectively). The mean PRISM score on admission was 26. Non-survivors showed a significantly higher mean score compared with survivors (36 vs. 17). Non-survivors compared with survivors, were significantly younger (12 vs. 23 months), had shorter LOS (3.8 vs. 5.3 days), three or four organ system failure on admission (77 vs. 25 per cent, and 9 vs. 0 per cent of patients) and had significantly higher percentage of sepsis syndrome and neurological diseases, as the primary affected system (20 vs. 10 per cent and 26 vs. 16 per cent). The PRISM score showed a significant positive correlation only with the number of organ failure on admission (r = 0.8104; p < 0.001). The cut-off point of survival was a PRISM score 26 with expected/observed ratio of 1.05 for non-survivors with 91.6 per cent accuracy. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that PRISM score, LOS, and the primary affected system were relevant predictors of patient outcome in PICU. In conclusion, the PRISM score is proved to be a good predictor of outcome for children admitted to a PICU with a cut-off point of 26. The mortality in the PICU is affected by LOS, primary system affected, and number of organ failure on admission.