Objective
Delirium occurs frequently in adults, and is an independent predictor of mortality. However, the epidemiology and outcomes of pediatric delirium are not well-characterized. The primary objectives of this study were to describe the incidence of delirium in critically ill children, its duration, associated risk factors, and effect on in-hospital outcomes, including mortality. Secondary objectives included determination of delirium subtype, and effect of delirium on duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), and length of hospital stay (LOS).
Design
Prospective longitudinal cohort study.
Setting
Urban academic tertiary care pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).
Patients
All consecutive admissions from September 2014 through August 2015.
Intervention
Children were screened for delirium twice daily throughout their ICU stay.
Measurements and Main Results
Of 1547 consecutive patients, delirium was diagnosed in 267 (17%), and lasted a median of two days (IQR 1,5). Seventy-eight percent of children with delirium developed it within the first three PICU days. Most cases of delirium were of the hypoactive (46%) and mixed (45%) subtypes; only 8% of delirium episodes were characterized as hyperactive delirium. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors of delirium included age ≤2 years, developmental delay, severity of illness, prior coma, mechanical ventilation, and receipt of benzodiazepines and anticholinergics. PICU LOS was increased in children with delirium (adjusted relative LOS 2.3, CI= 2.1, 2.5, p<0.001), as was duration of MV (median 4 vs. 1 day, p<0.001). Delirium was a strong and independent predictor of mortality (adjusted OR 4.39, CI= 1.96–9.99, p<0.001).
Conclusions
Delirium occurs frequently in critically ill children and is independently associated with mortality. Some in-hospital risk factors for delirium development are modifiable. Interventional studies are needed to determine best practices to limit delirium exposure in at-risk children.