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Shock-induced endotheliopathy (SHINE), defined as a profound sympathoadrenal hyperactivation in shock states leading to endothelial activation, glycocalyx damage, and eventual compromise of end-organ perfusion, was first described in 2017. The aggressive resuscitation therapies utilised in treating shock states could potentially lead to further worsening endothelial activation and end-organ dysfunction.

Background Intravenous fluid therapy represents the most common intervention critically ill patients are exposed to. Hyperchloremia and metabolic acidosis associated with 0.9% sodium chloride have been observed to lead to worse outcomes, including mortality. Balanced solutions, such as Plasma-Lyte 148 and Compound Sodium Lactate, represent potential alternatives but the evidence on optimal fluid choices in critically ill children remains scarce. This study aims to demonstrate whether balanced solutions, when used as intravenous fluid therapy, are able to reduce the incidence of a rise in serum chloride level compared to 0.9% sodium chloride in critically ill children. Methods This is a single-centre, open-label randomized controlled trial with parallel 1:1:1 assignment into three groups: 0.9% sodium chloride, Plasma-Lyte 148, and Compound Sodium Lactate solutions for intravenous fluid therapy. The intervention includes both maintenance and bolus fluid therapy. Children aged < 16 years admitted to intensive care and receiving intravenous fluid therapy during the first 4 h of admission are eligible. The primary outcome measure is a ≥ 5mmol/L increase in serum chloride level within 48 h post-randomization. The enrolment target is 480 patients. The main analyses will be intention-to-treat. Discussion This study tests three types of intravenous fluid therapy in order to compare the risk of hyperchloremia associated with normal saline versus balanced solutions. This pragmatic study is thereby assessing the most common intervention in paediatric critical care. This is a single-centre open-label study with no blinding at the level of delivery of the intervention. Certain paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patient groups such as those admitted with a cardiac condition or following a traumatic brain injury are excluded from this study. Trial registration The study has received ethical approval (HREC/19/QCHQ/53177: 06/06/2019). It is registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619001244190) from 9th September 2019. Recruitment commenced on 12th November 2019. The primary results manuscript will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

OBJECTIVE: Most interventions in paediatric critical care lack high grade evidence. We aimed to identify the key research priorities and key clinical outcome measures pertinent to research in paediatric intensive care patients. DESIGN: Modified three-stage Delphi study combining staged online surveys, followed by a face-to-face discussion and final voting. SETTING: Paediatric intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand. PARTICIPANTS: Medical and nursing staff working in intensive care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported priorities for research. RESULTS: 193 respondents provided a total of 267 research questions and 234 outcomes. In Stage 3, the top 56 research questions and 50 outcomes were discussed face to face, which allowed the identification of the top 20 research questions with the Hanlon prioritisation score and the top 20 outcomes. Topics centred on the use of intravenous fluids (restrictive v liberal fluids, use of fluid resuscitation bolus, early inotrope use, type of intravenous fluid, and assessment of fluid responsiveness), and patient- and family-centred outcomes (health-related quality of life, liberation) emerged as priorities. While mortality, length of stay, and organ support/organ dysfunction were considered important and the most feasible outcomes, long term quality of life and neurodevelopmental measures were rated highly in terms of their importance. CONCLUSIONS: Using a modified Delphi method, this study provides guidance towards prioritisation of research topics in paediatric critical care in Australia and New Zealand, and identifies study outcomes of key relevance to clinicians and experts in the field.

We studied rates of cadaveric organ donation on transition from apnoeic-oxygenation to radioisotope brain perfusion scanning to diagnose brain death. We studied records of children who were organ donors and/or had Technetium Tc99m Exametazine brain scans over 1989-2018. Donation after Brain Death (DBD) commenced in 1989, Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) in 2011. Brain scanning was adopted in 2002 and apnoeic-oxygenation abandoned in 2007. In total, 95 of 1930 children (4.9%) donated organs (81 DBD, 14 DCD). During 1989-2001, with brain death diagnosed by clinical tests including apnoeic-oxygenation, 40 of 1059 children (3.8%) donated organs at average 3.1/annum. During 2002-2007 when either apnoeic-oxygenation or scanning was used, 18 of 351 children (5.1%) donated organs at average 3.0/year. During 2008-2018 with scanning in lieu of apnoeic-oxygenation, 23 of 520 children (4.4%) donated organs at average 2.1/annum. The difference in DBD rate between eras was not significant (P=0.52). Of 77 children scanned, 65(84%) were diagnosed brain dead after 1 or 2 scans, and 29 (45%) of these donated organs. Of 12 children with limited brain perfusion (not brain dead), DCD proceeded in 8 (67%). DCD or DBD (death diagnosed by scanning) was performed during 2011-2018 in 35 of 370 children (9.5%) which is significantly more (P

Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is expanding, however it is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Activation of inflammatory and innate immune responses and hemostatic alterations contribute to complications. Hyperoxia may play a role in exacerbating these responses. Nine ex vivo ECMO circuits were tested using fresh healthy human whole blood, with two oxygen levels: 21% inspired fraction of oxygen (FiO ; mild hyperoxia; n=5) and 100% FiO (severe hyperoxia; n=4). Serial blood samples were taken for analysis of platelet aggregometry, leukocyte activation, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. ECMO resulted in reduced adenosine diphosphate- (p

Up to 37% of children admitted to the PICU develop acute kidney injury as defined by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. We describe the prevalence of acute kidney injury in a mixed pediatric intensive care cohort using this criteria. As tools to stratify patients at risk of acute kidney injury on PICU admission are lacking, we explored the variables at admission and day 1 that might predict the development of acute kidney injury. Single-center retrospective observational study. Thirty-six-bed surgical/medical tertiary PICU. Children from birth to less than or equal to 16 years old admitted between 2015 and 2018. None. Clinical data were extracted from the PICU clinical information system. Patients with baseline creatinine at admission greater than 20 micromol/L above the calculated normal creatinine level were classified as "high risk of acute kidney injury." Models were created to predict acute kidney injury at admission and on day 1. Out of the 7,505 children admitted during the study period, 738 patients (9.8%) were classified as high risk of acute kidney injury at admission and 690 (9.2%) developed acute kidney injury during PICU admission. Compared to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria as the reference standard, high risk of acute kidney injury had a lower sensitivity and higher specificity compared with renal angina index greater than or equal to 8 on day 1. For the admission model, the adjusted odds ratio of developing acute kidney injury for high risk of acute kidney injury was 4.2 (95% CI, 3.3-5.2). The adjusted odds ratio in the noncardiac cohort for high risk of acute kidney injury was 7.3 (95% CI, 5.5-9.7). For the day 1 model, odds ratios for high risk of acute kidney injury and renal angina index greater than or equal to 8 were 3.3 (95% CI, 2.6-4.2) and 3.1 (95% CI, 2.4-3.8), respectively. The relationship between high risk of acute kidney injury and acute kidney injury needs further evaluation. High risk of acute kidney injury performed better in the noncardiac cohort.

ObjectiveThe Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines recommend the implementation of systematic screening for sepsis. We aimed to validate a paediatric sepsis screening tool and derive a simplified screening tool.DesignProspective multicentre study conducted between August 2018 and December 2019. We assessed the performance of the paediatric sepsis screening tool using stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses with 10-fold cross-validation and evaluated the final model at defined risk thresholds.SettingTwelve emergency departments (EDs) in Queensland, Australia.Participants3473 children screened for sepsis, of which 523 (15.1%) were diagnosed with sepsis.InterventionsA 32-item paediatric sepsis screening tool including rapidly available information from triage, risk factors and targeted physical examination.Primary outcome measureSenior medical officer-diagnosed sepsis combined with the administration of intravenous antibiotics in the ED.ResultsThe 32-item paediatric sepsis screening tool had good predictive performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.80, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.82). A simplified tool containing 16 of 32 criteria had comparable performance and retained an AUC of 0.80 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.82). To reach a sensitivity of 90% (95% CI 87% to 92%), the final model achieved a specificity of 51% (95% CI 49% to 53%). Sensitivity analyses using the outcomes of sepsis-associated organ dysfunction (AUC 0.84, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.87) and septic shock (AUC 0.84, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.88) confirmed the main results.ConclusionsA simplified paediatric sepsis screening tool performed well to identify children with sepsis in the ED. Implementation of sepsis screening tools may improve the timely recognition and treatment of sepsis.

We examined systems-level costs before and after the implementation of an emergency department paediatric sepsis screening, recognition and treatment pathway. Aggregated hospital admissions for all children aged

Objectives Recently, several adult trials have investigated the potential benefit of high-dose vitamin C therapy in critically ill patients. In pediatric patients, little is known on the efficacy, safety, and risk of high-dose vitamin C therapy. We aimed to review the efficacy and potential harm associated with high-dose vitamin C treatment. Data sources We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and National Institute of Health Clinical Trials Register. Study selection We included studies in neonatal and pediatric patients who received IV or intra-arterial high-dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid) defined as greater than or equal to 75 mg/kg/d. Data extraction Two independent investigators screened articles and extracted data. Data synthesis We found 1,364 articles, assessed 193 full texts for eligibility, and identified 12 eligible studies. These studies included 855 patients, with 194 receiving high-dose vitamin C. The age of patients who received high-dose vitamin C ranged from 2 hours after delivery to 8.4 years (median 2.4 yr), and the vitamin C dose ranged from 100 to 1,500 mg/kg/d (median 260.5 mg/kg/d). Four studies were double-blind randomized controlled trials, and no clinical efficacy outcome was reported in favor of or against vitamin C. Furthermore, no adverse event or signal of harm was reported with high-dose vitamin C. Conclusions In 12 studies with 194 children treated with parenteral high-dose vitamin C, there was no evidence of clinical efficacy or inferior clinical outcomes in double-blind randomized controlled trials, and no reported harmful effects. These findings justify further investigations of this treatment in children.

Sepsis, defined as infection with associated organ dysfunction, accounts for most childhood deaths due to infection globally. Evidence for the optimal support of children with septic shock refractory to the initial sepsis management bundle remains minimal. There is an urgent need for more effective interventions. Administration of hydrocortisone in children with septic shock might fasten shock resolution, and has been shown to dampen the systemic host immune response, augment adrenergic effects, and support the stress response. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is one of the most powerful naturally occurring antioxidants and has beneficial effects on multiple pathways which are severely deranged during septic shock. A regimen combining hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid, and thiamine termed "metabolic resuscitation" or "HAT therapy" has been tested in large trials in critically ill adults with sepsis with conflicting results. Available information on intravenous ascorbic acid indicates an excellent safety profile even at very high doses both in adults and children. Given the pharmacological properties and beneficial effects shown both in vitro and in animal studies, and its safety profile, ascorbic acid either as a single therapy or as part of HAT treatment represents a promising candidate for future pediatric sepsis treatments. While pediatric age groups may be more susceptible to ascorbic acid deficiency during sepsis, there is a lack of high-quality trial data on HAT therapy in this age group. A single centre retrospective study identified potential for mortality benefit in children with septic shock, and the results from a randomized controlled pilot trial are being awaited. It is imperative for pediatric research on ascorbic acid and HAT in children with sepsis to critically investigate key questions related to pharmacology, dosing, timing, feasibility, safety, effects on short- and long-term outcomes, and generalisability in view of the global burden of sepsis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children. The aim of this paper was to describe the prevalence and course of AKI in critically ill children and to compare different AKI classification criteria.We conducted a retrospective observational study in our multi-disciplinary Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from January 2015 to December 2018. All patients from birth to 16 years of age who were admitted to the pediatric ICU were included. The Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) definition was considered as the reference standard. We compared the incidence data assessed by KDIGO, pediatric risk, injury, failure, loss of kidney function and end- stage renal disease (pRIFLE) and pediatric reference change value optimised for AKI (pROCK).Out of 7505 patients, 9.2% developed AKI by KDIGO criteria. The majority (59.8%) presented with stage 1 AKI. Recovery from AKI was observed in 70.4% of patients within 7 days from diagnosis. Both pRIFLE and pROCK were less sensitive compared to KDIGO criteria for the classification of AKI. Patients who met all three-KDIGO, pRIFLE and pROCK criteria had a high mortality rate (35.0%).Close to one in ten patients admitted to the pediatric ICU met AKI criteria according to KDIGO. In about 30% of patients, AKI persisted beyond 7 days. Follow-up of patients with persistent kidney function reduction at hospital discharge is needed to reveal the long-term morbidity due to AKI in the pediatric ICU.

Chapter 1 begins by examining the definitions of sepsis and septic shock as subsets of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, discusses the epidemiology of paediatric sepsis, and provides a structured approach to the assessment of a child with suspected sepsis. The evidence for and limitation of investigations, such as lactate measurement and attempted quantification of cardiac function in paediatric sepsis, is examined. Optimal management strategies for paediatric sepsis remain much studied and debated. This chapter addresses the use of inotropes—both early inotropes and choice of inotropes, intravenous fluids, including the current evidence base for choice of fluids, and the increasingly studied areas of fluid overload and fluid removal (de-resuscitation) following the initial phases of resuscitation. The evidence base for use and timing of antibiotics and steroids is discussed, along with the roles of the supportive therapies renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Finally, the chapter examines some of the key aspects of the care of patients with sepsis of relevance to intensivists: early goal-directed therapy; sepsis bundles; and the Surviving Sepsis Campaign.

Predictive modeling is foundational to treatment and long-term management of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Assessment of injury severity in the acute-care setting enables early stratification of patients based on their risk of death, lifelong disability, or unfavorable outcome. This review evaluates predictive models that have been developed or validated for pediatric TBI patients. The predictive accuracy of these models, the outcomes and time points predicted, and the variables and statistical methods utilized in model development were compared. Embase, Scopus, MEDLINE®, and Web of Science were searched for studies that developed statistical models for predicting patient outcomes following pediatric TBI. Studies were excluded if they focused on adults or non-traumatic brain injury, or if they did not assess classification accuracy. A total of 4538 entries were identified and screened, with 7 studies included for analysis. This included five studies in which adult predictive models were validated for use in the pediatric setting, and two in which new models were derived from a pediatric cohort. Trials of adult prediction tools in pediatric cohorts, including the International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in TBI (IMPACT) and Corticoid Randomisation After Significant Head Injury (CRASH)-TBI models, showed comparable accuracy between classification of adults and children. Models derived from pediatric cohorts showed improved accuracy. Most studies solely focused on clinical variables, with two studies incorporating biochemical and imaging variables. Predictive models for pediatric TBI are primarily based on methods and variables identified in adult studies. Although adult models have proven effective in select pediatric cohorts, they may be suboptimal when compared with models derived or adjusted for children.

Background Pulse oximetry (SpO 2 ) is used to monitor oxygen saturation levels to avoid hypoxaemia in children. Sensor manufacturers claim high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Few studies have evaluated accuracy and precision of SpO 2 in children. Methods This prospective, observational study was conducted in a 36-bed mixed medical/surgical paediatric intensive care unit. All children

Purpose Paracetamol has been associated with a reduction in blood pressure, especially in febrile, critically-ill adults. We hypothesised that blood pressure would fall following administration of paracetamol in critically-ill children and this effect would be greater during fever and among children with a high body surface area to weight ratio. Methods A 12-month prospective observational study of children (0–16 years) admitted to paediatric intensive care, who underwent pulse contour analysis and received paracetamol concurrently. Results Mean arterial blood pressure decreased significantly by 4.7% from baseline (95% CI 1.75–8.07%) in 31 children following 148 doses of paracetamol. The nadir was 2-hour post-dose. The effect was pronounced in children with fever at baseline (6.4%, 95% CI 2.8–10%), although this was not statistically significant. There was no simple relationship between this effect and body surface area to weight ratio. The association between a change in blood pressure and changes in heart rate or measured stroke volume was poor; therefore it was likely that a change in the systemic vascular resistance contributes most to this effect. Conclusion There is a significant but modest reduction in blood pressure post-paracetamol in critically-ill children. This is likely related to a change in systemic vascular resistance.

Objectives: To derive a relationship between the Spo(2)/Fio(2) ratio and Pao(2)/Fio(2) ratio across the entire range of Spo(2) values (0-100%) and to evaluate whether mortality prediction using the Pediatric Index of Mortality-3 can be improved by the use of Pao(2)/Fio(2) values derived from Spo(2)/Fio(2).Design: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.Setting: A regional PICU transport service.Patients: Children transported to a PICU.Interventions: None.Measurements and Main Results: The relationship between Spo(2)/Fio(2) and Pao(2)/Fio(2) across the entire range of Spo(2) values was first studied using several mathematical models in a derivation cohort (n = 1,235) and then validated in a separate cohort (n = 306). The best Spo(2)/Fio(2) Pao(2)/Fio(2) relationship was chosen according to the ability to detect respiratory failure (Pao(2)/Fio(2) = 200). The discrimination of the original Pediatric Index of Mortality-3 score and a derived Pediatric Index of Mortality-3 score (where Spo(2)/Fio(2)-derived Pao(2)/Fio(2) values were used inplace of missing Pao(2)/Fio(2) values) were compared in a different cohort (n = 1,205). The best Spo(2)/Fio(2)-Pao(2)/Fio(2) relationship in 1,703 Spo(2)/Fio(2)-to-Pao(2)/Fio(2) data pairs was a linear regression equation of ln[PF] regressed on ln[SF]. This equation identified children with a Pao(2)/Fio(2) less than or equal to 200 with a specificity of 73% and sensitivity of 61% in children with Spo(2) less than 97% (92% and 33%, respectively, when Spo(2) = 97%) in the validation cohort. Pao(2)/Fio(2) derived from Spo(2)/Fio(2) (derived Pao(2)/Fio(2)) was better at predicting PICU mortality (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.55-0.73) compared with the original Pao(2)/Fio(2) (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.49-0.59; p = 0.02). However, there was no difference in the original and derived Pediatric Index of Mortality-3 scores and their discriminatory ability for mortality.Conclusions: Spo(2)-based metrics perform no worse than arterial blood gas-based metrics in mortality prediction models. Future Pediatric Index of Mortality score versions may be improved by the inclusion of risk factors based on oxygen saturation values, especially in settings where Pao(2) values are missing in a significant proportion of cases.

Objectives Intubation of critically ill children is an infrequent procedure, and is associated with significant risk. We set out to describe intubations carried out by the Children's Health Queensland Retrieval Service (CHQRS), with the intention to identify areas for improvement in the performance of intubation in the retrieval setting. Methods Paediatric patients undergoing transport while intubated were identified, and cases where intubation occurred after the arrival of the CHQRS team were examined. Results Over the study period of January 2015 to September 2018, 498 intubated retrievals were undertaken; 85 patients were intubated after the arrival of CHQRS; the age range was 1 day to 16.5 years (median 0.5, interquartile range [IQR] 0.11-3 years). The median weight was 6.2 kg (IQR 3.7-16.5 kg). The pathology requiring intubation included respiratory 36 (42.3%), sepsis 21 (24.7%), neurological 11 (12.9%) and trauma 7 (8.2%). A total of 470 of 498 (94.4%) of intubated patients were from regional referral or tertiary hospitals, 28 of 498 (5.6%) were from rural and remote facilities. Of 85 patients, 57 (67.1%) were intubated by CHQRS and 28 (32.9%) were intubated by a doctor from the referring facility. The CHQRS team was more likely to perform the intubation in smaller children (median weight 5.0 vs 9.9 kg, P = 0.03). The mean scene time was 2.8 h. The scene time was shorter if the intubation was performed by CHQRS (mean 2.6 h, median 2.5, IQR 1.8-3.3; median 3, IQR 2.2-3.9; P = 0.048). The scene time was shorter when the intubation was predicted from tasking information (2.6 vs 3.1 h; P = 0.03). Conclusion Paediatric endotracheal intubation is an infrequent procedure in our service. An airway registry could improve documentation and gather information to identify specific training requirements and areas for practice improvement.

BACKGROUND:Mitochondrial and neurogenetic diseases can present diagnostic challenges. We investigated if near infrared spectroscopy with the vascular occlusion test is able to differentiate between children with mitochondrial disease and children with neurogenetic disease or healthy controls. METHODS:Prospective observational study conducted in a tertiary children's hospital. RESULTS:Forty-three children with mitochondrial disease (including both genetically confirmed primary mitochondrial disease and cases with biochemical evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction), 19 children with non-mitochondrial neurogenetic disease and 13 healthy controls were recruited. The delta tissue oxygen index (ΔTOI) values showed greater variability amongst children with mitochondrial disease and neurogenetic disease than healthy controls despite the median ΔTOI being similar (median 14.1 and 18.8, t-test, p = 0.16). A low ΔTOI identifies cases with a higher probability of mitochondrial disease or neurogenetic disease compared to healthy controls (positive likelihood ratio: 3.67; 95%CI:1.01-13). A high ΔTOI with the near infrared spectroscopy with vascular occlusion test identifies cases with a lower probability of having a disease (negative likelihood ratio: 0.51; 95%CI:0.36-0.74). CONCLUSION:Near infrared spectroscopy with vascular occlusion test might be able to discriminate children with mitochondrial disease and neurogenetic disease from healthy controls.

Transport of critically ill children has become necessary following centralisation of paediatric specialist services. Children's Acute Transport Service (CATS) retrieves critically ill children in the Greater London area. Our teams have had to stop during these journeys to assist in road traffic accidents or ill passers-by. We undertook a review of our practice over a 3.5-year period. Our teams had to stop on 12 occasions over this period amounting to an incidence rate of 1 per 959 ambulance journeys. Although this is an infrequent occurrence, the impact on the retrieved patient and service delivery could be significant. We would like to direct the attention of transport services to this problem.

Fluid management has a major impact on the duration, severity and outcome of critical illness. The overall strategy for the acutely ill child should be biphasic. Aggressive volume expansion to support tissue oxygen delivery as part of early goal-directed resuscitation algorithms for shock--especially septic shock--has been associated with dramatic improvements in outcome. Recent data suggest that the cost-benefit of aggressive fluid resuscitation may be more complex than previously thought, and may depend on case-mix and the availability of intensive care. After the resuscitation phase, critically ill children tend to retain free water while having reduced insensible losses. Fluid regimens that limit or avoid positive fluid balance are associated with a reduced length of hospital stay and fewer complications. Identifying the point at which patients change from the 'early shock' pattern to the later 'chronic critical illness' pattern remains a major challenge. Very little data are available on the choice of fluids, and most of the information that is available arises from studies of critically ill adults. There is therefore an urgent need for high-quality trials of both resuscitation and maintenance fluid regimens in critically ill children.

Transport of critically ill children has become necessary following centralisation of paediatric specialist services. Children's Acute Transport Service (CATS) retrieves critically ill children in the Greater London area. Our teams have had to stop during these journeys to assist in road traffic accidents or ill passers-by. We undertook a review of our practice over a 3.5-year period. Our teams had to stop on 12 occasions over this period amounting to an incidence rate of 1 per 959 ambulance journeys. Although this is an infrequent occurrence, the impact on the retrieved patient and service delivery could be significant. We would like to direct the attention of transport services to this problem.

Background There is good evidence that hyperoxia after resuscitation in the newborn period can be detrimental to neurological outcome and survival. The association between hyperoxia and survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in children has not been evaluated. Methods A retrospective, observational study of children admitted to 3 PICUs after OHCA (2004–2010). Primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. Patients were divided into three groups (hypoxia 40kPa) based on arterial oxygen tension in the first 24 hours. The PaO 2 thresholds used are based on recently published literature. Results 140 patients were identified (51 hypoxia, 60 normoxia, 29 hyperoxia), with the hyperoxia group significantly older than other groups (Table). The predicted probability of death (PIM2) at PICU admission was similar across the three groups, as was the use of interventions, such as transfer between hospitals and requirement for inotropes. Survival to hospital discharge was only 14% (95% CI: 4–31) in the hyperoxia group against 27% (95% CI: 16–40) in the normoxia group and 37% (95% CI: 24–52) in the hypoxia group (p=0.08). The Odds Ratio for survival in the hyperoxia group was 0.44 (95% CI: 0.13–1.46, p=0.18) compared to the normoxia group. Conclusions This study has observed a difference in survival related to oxygen tension status, with a trend to worsening survival from hypoxia through to hyperoxia. Confirmation of this preliminary finding is required in a larger cohort before embarking on a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction Survival after paediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is poor, even amongst those who are successfully resuscitated and admitted to PICU. Better prediction of survival would be of benefit to clinical teams and to research teams designing trials. This study aimed to identify predictive factors for survival to inform the design of a post-OHCA intervention trial. Method Retrospective, cohort study of 155 infants and children (1 day to 16 years) admitted to 3 UK PICUs after OHCA (2004–2010). Variables relating to a) the resuscitation period (Utstein) and b) the post-resuscitation period were included in two multivariate stepwise regression models to identify predictive factors for survival to PICU discharge. Results 32% (50/155) children survived to PICU discharge. Resuscitation variables individually associated with improved survival included; presenting in a shockable rhythm, shorter duration of arrest, return of spontaneous cardiac output prior to arrival in the emergency department and lower number of epinephrine doses. Post-resuscitation variables individually associated with improved survival included; higher arterial pH, lower blood lactate, lower maximum glucose, higher base excess and responsive pupils. Results of multivariate stepwise regression models are reported in table. Conclusion This large UK study is the first to identify lactate as one of the key predictors of paediatric OHCA survival in patients admitted to PICU. Development of an accurate prediction tool would assist trial design and prognostication after paediatric OHCA.