Brain Injuries and Neurological System Failure are the Most Common Proximate Cause of Death in Children Admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

摘要

ObjectiveMortality rates from critical illness in children have declined over the past several decades, now averaging between 2-5% in most Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs). While these rates, and mortality rates from specific disorders, are widely understood, the impact of acute neurological injuries in such children who die and the role of these injuries in the cause of death are not well understood. We hypothesized that neurological injuries are an important cause of death in children.