Evaluating the Gastrointestinal Function of Critically Ill Children Admitted to the PICU

Objectives: To determine the frequency and predictors of outcome of gastrointestinal complications (GIC) in critically ill children. Methods: This descriptive study was prospectively conducted in The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), After obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee and informed consent from the parents, all children (aged one month to 14 years), of either gender, admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during the study period were included. The frequency of the defined GIC: vomiting, high gastric residue volume (GRV), diarrhea, constipation, and gastrointestinal bleed were recorded daily for the first week of the PICU stay. Results: 41% of hospitalised individuals developed GIC within 48 hours. 47.4% of GIC patients had high GRV, including 39.7% constipation, 23.1% vomiting, and 17.9% abdominal distension. 41% of patients had two GI problems, whereas 27% had one. 14% had more than three problems. GIC patients stayed longer (8 days) than those without GIC (4 days). Children with mechanical breathing, sedatives and relaxants, multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS), and inotropes had more gastrointestinal problems. Conclusion: GI complications are common in the PICU and worsen patient outcomes. Sedative medications and MODS shock were major contributors