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Liesse KM, Malladi L, Dinh TC, Wesp BM, Kam BN, Turturice BA, Pyke-Grimm KA, Char DS, Hollander SA. Trajectories in Intensity of Medical Interventions at the End of Life: Clustering Analysis in a Pediatric, Single-Center Retrospective Cohort, 2013-2021. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2024:00130478-990000000-00365. [PMID: 39023327 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pediatric deaths often occur within hospitals and involve balancing aggressive treatment with minimization of suffering. This study first investigated associations between clinical/demographic features and the level of intensity of various therapies these patients undergo at the end of life (EOL). Second, the work used these data to develop a new, broader spectrum for classifying pediatric EOL trajectories. DESIGN Retrospective, single-center study, 2013-2021. SETTING Four hundred sixty-one bed tertiary, stand-alone children's hospital with 112 ICU beds. PATIENTS Patients of age 0-26 years old at the time of death. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Of 1111 included patients, 85.7% died in-hospital. Patients who died outside the hospital were older. Among the 952 in-hospital deaths, most occurred in ICUs (89.5%). Clustering analysis was used to distinguish EOL trajectories based on the presence of intensive therapies and/or an active resuscitation attempt at the EOL. We identified five simplified categories: 1) death during active resuscitation, 2) controlled withdrawal of life-sustaining technology, 3) natural progression to death despite maximal therapy, 4) discontinuation of nonsustaining therapies, and 5) withholding/noninitiation of future therapies. Patients with recent surgical procedures, a history of organ transplantation, or admission to the Cardiovascular ICU had more intense therapies at EOL than those who received palliative care consultations, had known genetic conditions, or were of older age. CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective study of pediatric EOL trajectories based on the intensity of technology and/or resuscitation discontinued at the EOL, we have identified associations between these trajectories and patient characteristics. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of these trajectories on families, patients, and healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Liesse
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Lakshmee Malladi
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Tu C Dinh
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Brendan M Wesp
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Brittni N Kam
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | | | - Kimberly A Pyke-Grimm
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Danton S Char
- Division of Pediatric Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Seth A Hollander
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA
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Pringle CP, Filipp SL, Morrison WE, Fainberg NA, Aczon MD, Avesar M, Burkiewicz KF, Chandnani HK, Hsu SC, Laksana E, Ledbetter DR, McCrory MC, Morrow KR, Noguchi AE, O'Brien CE, Ojha A, Ross PA, Shah S, Shah JK, Siegel LB, Tripathi S, Wetzel RC, Zhou AX, Winter MC. Ventilator Weaning and Terminal Extubation: Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Therapy in Children. Secondary Analysis of the Death One Hour After Terminal Extubation Study. Crit Care Med 2024; 52:396-406. [PMID: 37889228 PMCID: PMC10922051 DOI: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000006101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Terminal extubation (TE) and terminal weaning (TW) during withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies (WLSTs) have been described and defined in adults. The recent Death One Hour After Terminal Extubation study aimed to validate a model developed to predict whether a child would die within 1 hour after discontinuation of mechanical ventilation for WLST. Although TW has not been described in children, pre-extubation weaning has been known to occur before WLST, though to what extent is unknown. In this preplanned secondary analysis, we aim to describe/define TE and pre-extubation weaning (PW) in children and compare characteristics of patients who had ventilatory support decreased before WLST with those who did not. DESIGN Secondary analysis of multicenter retrospective cohort study. SETTING Ten PICUs in the United States between 2009 and 2021. PATIENTS Nine hundred thirteen patients 0-21 years old who died after WLST. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS 71.4% ( n = 652) had TE without decrease in ventilatory support in the 6 hours prior. TE without decrease in ventilatory support in the 6 hours prior = 71.4% ( n = 652) of our sample. Clinically relevant decrease in ventilatory support before WLST = 11% ( n = 100), and 17.6% ( n = 161) had likely incidental decrease in ventilatory support before WLST. Relevant ventilator parameters decreased were F io2 and/or ventilator set rates. There were no significant differences in any of the other evaluated patient characteristics between groups (weight, body mass index, unit type, primary diagnostic category, presence of coma, time to death after WLST, analgosedative requirements, postextubation respiratory support modality). CONCLUSIONS Decreasing ventilatory support before WLST with extubation in children does occur. This practice was not associated with significant differences in palliative analgosedation doses or time to death after extubation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlene P Pringle
- Department of Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Stephanie L Filipp
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Hub, University of Florida Gainesville, FL
| | - Wynne E Morrison
- Department of Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Research Hub, University of Florida Gainesville, FL
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
- Justin Michael Ingerman Center for Palliative Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
- Pediatric Intensive Care, OSF HealthCare, Children's Hospital of Illinois, Peoria, IL Peoria, IL
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Dallas, TX
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Children's Health Medical Center Dallas Dallas, TX
- KPMG Lighthouse, Dallas, TX
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- Program Coordinator for Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, MI
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY
| | - Nina A Fainberg
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
| | - Melissa D Aczon
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Michael Avesar
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
| | - Kimberly F Burkiewicz
- Pediatric Intensive Care, OSF HealthCare, Children's Hospital of Illinois, Peoria, IL Peoria, IL
| | - Harsha K Chandnani
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
| | - Stephanie C Hsu
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Dallas, TX
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Children's Health Medical Center Dallas Dallas, TX
| | - Eugene Laksana
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - Michael C McCrory
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC
| | - Katie R Morrow
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Anna E Noguchi
- Program Coordinator for Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
| | - Caitlin E O'Brien
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Apoorva Ojha
- Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, MI
| | - Patrick A Ross
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Sareen Shah
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jui K Shah
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
| | - Linda B Siegel
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY
| | - Sandeep Tripathi
- Pediatric Intensive Care, OSF HealthCare, Children's Hospital of Illinois, Peoria, IL Peoria, IL
| | - Randall C Wetzel
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Alice X Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Meredith C Winter
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
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Francoeur C, Silva A, Hornby L, Wollny K, Lee LA, Pomeroy A, Cayouette F, Scales N, Weiss MJ, Dhanani S. Pediatric Death After Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Therapies: A Scoping Review. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2024; 25:e12-e19. [PMID: 37678383 PMCID: PMC10756696 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Evaluate literature on the dying process in children after withdrawal of life sustaining measures (WLSM) in the PICU. We focused on the physiology of dying, prediction of time to death, impact of time to death, and uncertainty of the dying process on families, healthcare workers, and organ donation. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science. STUDY SELECTION We included studies that discussed the dying process after WLSM in the PICU, with no date or study type restrictions. We excluded studies focused exclusively on adult or neonatal populations, children outside the PICU, or on organ donation or adult/pediatric studies where pediatric data could not be isolated. DATA EXTRACTION Inductive qualitative content analysis was performed. DATA SYNTHESIS Six thousand two hundred twenty-five studies were screened and 24 included. Results were grouped into four categories: dying process, perspectives of healthcare professionals and family, WLSM and organ donation, and recommendations for future research. Few tools exist to predict time to death after WLSM in children. Most deaths after WLSM occur within 1 hour and during this process, healthcare providers must offer support to families regarding logistics, medications, and expectations. Providers describe the unpredictability of the dying process as emotionally challenging and stressful for family members and staff; however, no reports of families discussing the impact of time to death prediction were found. The unpredictability of death after WLSM makes families less likely to pursue donation. Future research priorities include developing death prediction tools of tools, provider and parental decision-making, and interventions to improve end-of-life care. CONCLUSIONS The dying process in children is poorly understood and understudied. This knowledge gap leaves families in a vulnerable position and the clinical team without the necessary tools to support patients, families, or themselves. Improving time to death prediction after WLSM may improve care provision and enable identification of potential organ donors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conall Francoeur
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Amina Silva
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Laura Hornby
- Consultant, Canadian Blood Services, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Krista Wollny
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Laurie A Lee
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Consultant, Canadian Blood Services, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada
- School of Nursing, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, CHU de Quebec - University of Laval, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Dynamical Analysis Lab, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Transplant Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Florence Cayouette
- Department of Pediatrics, CHU de Quebec - University of Laval, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nathan Scales
- Dynamical Analysis Lab, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Matthew J Weiss
- Department of Pediatrics, CHU de Quebec - University of Laval, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Transplant Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sonny Dhanani
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Zhong Y, Cavolo A, Labarque V, Gastmans C. Physicians' attitudes and experiences about withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatments in pediatrics: a systematic review of quantitative evidence. BMC Palliat Care 2023; 22:145. [PMID: 37773128 PMCID: PMC10540364 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-023-01260-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the most important and ethically challenging decisions made for children with life-limiting conditions is withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatments (LST). As important (co-)decision-makers in this process, physicians are expected to have deeply and broadly developed views. However, their attitudes and experiences in this area remain difficult to understand because of the diversity of the studies. Hence, the aim of this paper is to describe physicians' attitudes and experiences about withholding/withdrawing LST in pediatrics and to identify the influencing factors. METHODS We systematically searched Pubmed, Cinahl®, Embase®, Scopus®, and Web of Science™ in early 2021 and updated the search results in late 2021. Eligible articles were published in English, reported on investigations of physicians' attitudes and experiences about withholding/withdrawing LST for children, and were quantitative. RESULTS In 23 included articles, overall, physicians stated that withholding/withdrawing LST can be ethically legitimate for children with life-limiting conditions. Physicians tended to follow parents' and parents-patient's wishes about withholding/withdrawing or continuing LST when they specified treatment preferences. Although most physicians agreed to share decision-making with parents and/or children, they nonetheless reported experiencing both negative and positive feelings during the decision-making process. Moderating factors were identified, including barriers to and facilitators of withholding/withdrawing LST. In general, there was only a limited number of quantitative studies to support the hypothesis that some factors can influence physicians' attitudes and experiences toward LST. CONCLUSION Overall, physicians agreed to withhold/withdraw LST in dying patients, followed parent-patients' wishes, and involved them in decision-making. Barriers and facilitators relevant to the decision-making regarding withholding/withdrawing LST were identified. Future studies should explore children's involvement in decision-making and consider barriers that hinder implementation of decisions about withholding/withdrawing LST.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajing Zhong
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, Block D, box 7001, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
| | - Alice Cavolo
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, Block D, box 7001, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Veerle Labarque
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven/UZ Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Chris Gastmans
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 35, Block D, box 7001, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
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5
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Tripathi S, Laksana E, McCrory MC, Hsu S, Zhou AX, Burkiewicz K, Ledbetter DR, Aczon MD, Shah S, Siegel L, Fainberg N, Morrow KR, Avesar M, Chandnani HK, Shah J, Pringle C, Winter MC. Analgesia and Sedation at Terminal Extubation: A Secondary Analysis From Death One Hour After Terminal Extubation Study Data. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2023; 24:463-472. [PMID: 36877028 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000003209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe the doses of opioids and benzodiazepines administered around the time of terminal extubation (TE) to children who died within 1 hour of TE and to identify their association with the time to death (TTD). DESIGN Secondary analysis of data collected for the Death One Hour After Terminal Extubation study. SETTING Nine U.S. hospitals. PATIENTS Six hundred eighty patients between 0 and 21 years who died within 1 hour after TE (2010-2021). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Medications included total doses of opioids and benzodiazepines 24 hours before and 1 hour after TE. Correlations between drug doses and TTD in minutes were calculated, and multivariable linear regression performed to determine their association with TTD after adjusting for age, sex, last recorded oxygen saturation/F io2 ratio and Glasgow Coma Scale score, inotrope requirement in the last 24 hours, and use of muscle relaxants within 1 hour of TE. Median age of the study population was 2.1 years (interquartile range [IQR], 0.4-11.0 yr). The median TTD was 15 minutes (IQR, 8-23 min). Forty percent patients (278/680) received either opioids or benzodiazepines within 1 hour after TE, with the largest proportion receiving opioids only (23%, 159/680). Among patients who received medications, the median IV morphine equivalent within 1 hour after TE was 0.75 mg/kg/hr (IQR, 0.3-1.8 mg/kg/hr) ( n = 263), and median lorazepam equivalent was 0.22 mg/kg/hr (IQR, 0.11-0.44 mg/kg/hr) ( n = 118). The median morphine equivalent and lorazepam equivalent rates after TE were 7.5-fold and 22-fold greater than the median pre-extubation rates, respectively. No significant direct correlation was observed between either opioid or benzodiazepine doses before or after TE and TTD. After adjusting for confounding variables, regression analysis also failed to show any association between drug dose and TTD. CONCLUSIONS Children after TE are often prescribed opioids and benzodiazepines. For patients dying within 1 hour of TE, TTD is not associated with the dose of medication administered as part of comfort care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Tripathi
- Pediatric Intensive Care, OSF HealthCare, Children's Hospital of Illinois/University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, IL
| | - Eugene Laksana
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Michael C McCrory
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Stephanie Hsu
- Division of Critical Care Medicine, Children's Health Medical Center Dallas, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Alice X Zhou
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Kimberly Burkiewicz
- Pediatric Intensive Care, OSF HealthCare, Children's Hospital of Illinois/University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, IL
| | - David R Ledbetter
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Melissa D Aczon
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Sareen Shah
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Division of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Long Island, NY
| | - Linda Siegel
- Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Division of Critical Care, Department of Pediatrics, Cohen Children's Medical Center, Long Island, NY
| | - Nina Fainberg
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Katie R Morrow
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Michael Avesar
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
| | - Harsha K Chandnani
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
| | - Jui Shah
- Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, Loma Linda University Children's Hospital, Loma Linda, CA
| | - Charlene Pringle
- Department of Pediatrics, Critical Care Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Meredith C Winter
- Department of Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
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Choi J, Choi AY, Park E, Son MH, Cho J. Effect of life-sustaining treatment decision law on pediatric in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation rate: A Korean population-based study. Resuscitation 2022; 180:38-44. [PMID: 36176228 DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2022.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
AIM The 2018 life-sustaining treatment (LST) decision law is expected to improve end-of-life quality in Korea. This study evaluated the national effect of the LST decision law on the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rate among pediatric patients who died during hospital admission. METHODS This retrospective cohort study was based on the Korean National Health Insurance database. Pediatric admissions within 12 months before or after implementation of the LST decision law were compared, allowing a 1-month transition period (February 2018). The changes in mortality, CPR, and documentation of LST decision were evaluated. RESULTS The CPR rate of patients who died in hospital decreased after establishment of the LST decision law (49.6 vs 43.4 %, P = 0.04), without change of in-hospital mortality between pre/post-LST decision law activation (0.83 vs 0.81 per 1000 admissions, P = 0.67). In addition, in-hospital CPR (0.73 vs 0.67 per 1000 admissions, P = 0.15) and survival to discharge after in-hospital CPR (43.6 vs 47.2 %, P = 0.27) were slightly improved, although there was no statistical significance. Patients with LST decision documentation were less frequently mechanically ventilated (69.8 % vs 80.4 %, P < 0.01) and used fewer inotropes (76.5 % vs 90.1 %, P < 0.01) and more frequent opioids (67.1 % vs 57.4 %, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS The legally guided process of LST decision can decrease the CPR rate of children who die in hospitals. This result highlights the possibility of improving end-of-life quality by reducing non-beneficial in-hospital CPR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeyoung Choi
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ah Young Choi
- Department of Pediatrics, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Esther Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Jeonbuk National University Children's Hospital, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Meong Hi Son
- Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joongbum Cho
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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7
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Predicting Time to Death After Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment in Children. Crit Care Explor 2022; 4:e0764. [PMID: 36101830 PMCID: PMC9462532 DOI: 10.1097/cce.0000000000000764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurately predicting time to death after withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment is valuable for family counseling and for identifying candidates for organ donation after cardiac death. This topic has been well studied in adults, but literature is scant in pediatrics. The purpose of this report is to assess the performance and clinical utility of the available tools for predicting time to death after treatment withdrawal in children.
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8
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Gaillard-Le Roux B, Cremer R, de Saint Blanquat L, Beaux J, Blanot S, Bonnin F, Bordet F, Deho A, Dupont S, Klusiewicz A, Lafargue A, Lemains M, Merchaoui Z, Quéré R, Samyn M, Saulnier ML, Temper L, Michel F, Dauger S. Organ donation by Maastricht-III pediatric patients: Recommendations of the Groupe Francophone de Réanimation et Urgences Pédiatriques (GFRUP) and Association des Anesthésistes Réanimateurs Pédiatriques d'Expression Française (ADARPEF) Part I: Ethical considerations and family care. Arch Pediatr 2022; 29:502-508. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arcped.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Winter MC, Day TE, Ledbetter DR, Aczon MD, Newth CJL, Wetzel RC, Ross PA. Machine Learning to Predict Cardiac Death Within 1 Hour After Terminal Extubation. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2021; 22:161-171. [PMID: 33156210 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Accurate prediction of time to death after withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies may improve counseling for families and help identify candidates for organ donation after cardiac death. The study objectives were to: 1) train a long short-term memory model to predict cardiac death within 1 hour after terminal extubation, 2) calculate the positive predictive value of the model and the number needed to alert among potential organ donors, and 3) examine associations between time to cardiac death and the patient's characteristics and physiologic variables using Cox regression. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING PICU and cardiothoracic ICU in a tertiary-care academic children's hospital. PATIENTS Patients 0-21 years old who died after terminal extubation from 2011 to 2018 (n = 237). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The median time to death for the cohort was 0.3 hours after terminal extubation (interquartile range, 0.16-1.6 hr); 70% of patients died within 1 hour. The long short-term memory model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85 and a positive predictive value of 0.81 at a sensitivity of 94% when predicting death within 1 hour of terminal extubation. About 39% of patients who died within 1 hour met organ procurement and transplantation network criteria for liver and kidney donors. The long short-term memory identified 93% of potential organ donors with a number needed to alert of 1.08, meaning that 13 of 14 prepared operating rooms would have yielded a viable organ. A Cox proportional hazard model identified independent predictors of shorter time to death including low Glasgow Coma Score, high Pao2-to-Fio2 ratio, low-pulse oximetry, and low serum bicarbonate. CONCLUSIONS Our long short-term memory model accurately predicted whether a child will die within 1 hour of terminal extubation and may improve counseling for families. Our model can identify potential candidates for donation after cardiac death while minimizing unnecessarily prepared operating rooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith C Winter
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Travis E Day
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Computer Science, University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - David R Ledbetter
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Melissa D Aczon
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Christopher J L Newth
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Randall C Wetzel
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Laura P. and Leland K. Whittier Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Patrick A Ross
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
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10
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O'Brien CE, Noguchi A, Fackler JC. Machine Learning to Support Organ Donation After Cardiac Death: Is the Time Now? Pediatr Crit Care Med 2021; 22:219-220. [PMID: 33528198 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E O'Brien
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Anna Noguchi
- Comprehensive Transplant Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD
| | - James C Fackler
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
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Nguefack F, Mah E, Kinkela MN, Tagne T, Chelo D, Dongmo R, Ndombo PK. [Mortality pattern in children aged 3-59 months hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit at a Paediatric Center in Yaounde-Cameroon]. Pan Afr Med J 2020; 36:246. [PMID: 33014242 PMCID: PMC7519789 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2020.36.246.11292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction le risque de décès serait élevé dans les unités des soins intensifs (USI) des pays en développement. Nous décrivons les décès survenus à l’Unité des Soins Intensifs du Centre Mère et Enfant de Yaoundé au Cameroun. Méthodes étude rétrospective portant sur les caractéristiques cliniques, sociodémographiques, l’itinéraire thérapeutique ainsi que certains facteurs associés aux décès survenus entre 2010 et 2014 chez 200 patients âgés de 3-59 mois. Résultats sur 2675 patients admis, 1807 étaient âgés de 3 à 59 mois et 303 sont décédés. Les taux de mortalité global et spécifique à cette tranche d’âge étaient de 11,3% et de 16,7% respectivement. La plupart (152/200 soit 76,0%) décédait à moins de 24 mois et le délai médian de leur admission était de 7 jours. Plus de la moitié (57,0%) avait recouru à un centre de santé et seuls 66 (33,0%) avaient bénéficié d’une référence. Le paludisme grave (41,5%), la pneumonie (22,7%) et la gastroentérite (27,8%) étaient les pathologies les plus incriminées. La malnutrition et le VIH/Sida constituaient les causes sous-jacentes de décès chez 23,0% et 20,5% de sujets respectivement. La présence de la gastroentérite multipliait le risque de décès d’environ 6 fois (OR = 5,76; P = 0,000) lorsque la malnutrition et l’infection à VIH étaient présentes. Les décès survenaient majoritairement (90,0%) dans les 72 heures d’admission. Conclusion certaines pathologies auraient pu être traitées avec des moyens simples afin d’éviter les complications nécessitant une réanimation dans un contexte à ressources limitées. Il est crucial d’intensifier la lutte contre le paludisme, l’infection à VIH et la malnutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félicitée Nguefack
- Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroun.,Hôpital Gynéco-obstétrique et Pédiatrique de Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Evelyn Mah
- Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroun.,Hôpital Gynéco-obstétrique et Pédiatrique de Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Mina Ntoto Kinkela
- Centre Mère et Enfant de la Fondation Chantal Biya de Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Thierry Tagne
- Institut Supérieur de Technologie Médicale, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - David Chelo
- Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroun.,Centre Mère et Enfant de la Fondation Chantal Biya de Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Roger Dongmo
- Hôpital de District d'Efoulan, Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Paul Koki Ndombo
- Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences Biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroun.,Centre Mère et Enfant de la Fondation Chantal Biya de Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroun
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12
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Bobillo-Perez S, Segura S, Girona-Alarcon M, Felipe A, Balaguer M, Hernandez-Platero L, Sole-Ribalta A, Guitart C, Jordan I, Cambra FJ. End-of-life care in a pediatric intensive care unit: the impact of the development of a palliative care unit. BMC Palliat Care 2020; 19:74. [PMID: 32466785 PMCID: PMC7254653 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-020-00575-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The purpose of this paper is to describe how end-of-life care is managed when life-support limitation is decided in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and to analyze the influence of the further development of the Palliative Care Unit. METHODS A 15-year retrospective study of children who died after life-support limitation was initiated in a pediatric intensive care unit. Patients were divided into two groups, pre- and post-palliative care unit development. Epidemiological and clinical data, the decision-making process, and the approach were analyzed. Data was obtained from patient medical records. RESULTS One hundred seventy-five patients were included. The main reason for admission was respiratory failure (86/175). A previous pathology was present in 152 patients (61/152 were neurological issues). The medical team and family participated together in the decision-making in 145 cases (82.8%). The family made the request in 10 cases (9 vs. 1, p = 0.019). Withdrawal was the main life-support limitation (113/175), followed by withholding life-sustaining treatments (37/175). Withdrawal was more frequent in the post-palliative group (57.4% vs. 74.3%, p = 0.031). In absolute numbers, respiratory support was the main type of support withdrawn. CONCLUSIONS The main cause of life-support limitation was the unfavourable evolution of the underlying pathology. Families were involved in the decision-making process in a high percentage of the cases. The development of the Palliative Care Unit changed life-support limitation in our unit, with differences detected in the type of patient and in the strategy used. Increased confidence among intensivists when providing end-of-life care, and the availability of a Palliative Care Unit may contribute to improvements in the quality of end-of-life care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Bobillo-Perez
- Disorders of Immunity and Respiration of the Pediatric Critical Patient Research Group, Institut Recerca Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Susana Segura
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Monica Girona-Alarcon
- Disorders of Immunity and Respiration of the Pediatric Critical Patient Research Group, Institut Recerca Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Aida Felipe
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Monica Balaguer
- Disorders of Immunity and Respiration of the Pediatric Critical Patient Research Group, Institut Recerca Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Lluisa Hernandez-Platero
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Anna Sole-Ribalta
- Disorders of Immunity and Respiration of the Pediatric Critical Patient Research Group, Institut Recerca Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Carmina Guitart
- Disorders of Immunity and Respiration of the Pediatric Critical Patient Research Group, Institut Recerca Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Iolanda Jordan
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
- Paediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group, Institut Recerca Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, CIBERESP, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Francisco Jose Cambra
- Disorders of Immunity and Respiration of the Pediatric Critical Patient Research Group, Institut Recerca Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Service, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
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Comparison of End-of-Life Care Practices Between Children With Complex Chronic Conditions and Neonates Dying in an ICU Versus Non-ICUs: A Substudy of the Pediatric End-of-LIfe CAre Needs in Switzerland (PELICAN) Project. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2020; 21:e236-e246. [PMID: 32091504 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe and compare characteristics of care provided at the end of life for children with chronic complex conditions and neonates who died in an ICU with those who died outside an ICU. DESIGN Substudy of a nation-wide retrospective chart review. SETTING Thirteen hospitals, including 14 pediatric and neonatal ICUs, two long-term institutions, and 10 community-based organizations in the three language regions of Switzerland. PATIENTS One hundred forty-nine children (0-18 yr) who died in the years 2011 or 2012. Causes of death were related to cardiac, neurologic, oncological, or neonatal conditions. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Demographic and clinical characteristics, therapeutic procedures, circumstances of death, and patterns of decisional processes were extracted from the medical charts. Ninety-three (62%) neonates (median age, 4 d) and children (median age, 23 mo) died in ICU, and 56 (38%) with a median age of 63 months outside ICU. Generally, ICU patients had more therapeutic and invasive procedures, compared with non-ICU patients. Changes in treatment plan in the last 4 weeks of life, such as do-not-resuscitate orders occurred in 40% of ICU patients and 25% of non-ICU patients (p < 0.001). In the ICU, when decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment was made, time to death in children and newborns was 4:25 and 3:00, respectively. In institutions where it was available, involvement of specialized pediatric palliative care services was recorded in 15 ICU patients (43%) and in 18 non-ICU patients (78%) (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS This nation-wide study demonstrated that patients with a complex chronic condition who die in ICU, compared with those who die outside ICU, are characterized by fast changing care situations, including when to withdraw life-sustaining treatment. This highlights the importance of early effective communication and shared decision making among clinicians and families.
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Modos de fallecimiento de los niños en Cuidados Intensivos en España. Estudio MOMUCIP (modos de muerte en UCIP). An Pediatr (Barc) 2019; 91:228-236. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anpedi.2019.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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15
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Modes of dying of children in Intensive Care Units in Spain: MOMUCIP study. An Pediatr (Barc) 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anpede.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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16
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Suzuki F, Takeuchi M, Tachibana K, Isaka K, Inata Y, Kinouchi K. Life-Sustaining Treatment Status at the Time of Death in a Japanese Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2017; 35:767-771. [PMID: 29179574 DOI: 10.1177/1049909117743474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substantial variability exists among countries regarding the modes of death in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). However, there is limited information on end-of-life care in Japanese PICUs. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the characteristics of end-of-life care practice for children in a Japanese PICU. METHODS We examined life-sustaining treatment (LST) status at the time of death based on medical chart reviews from 2010 to 2014. All deaths were classified into 3 groups: limitation of LST (limitation group, death after withholding or withdrawal of LST or a do not attempt resuscitation order), no limitation of LST (no-limitation group, death following failed resuscitation attempts), or brain death (brain death group). RESULTS Of the 62 patients who died, 44 (71%) had limitation of LST, 18 (29%) had no limitation of LST, and none had brain death. In the limitation group, the length of PICU stay was longer than that in the no-limitation group (13.5 vs 2.5 days; P = .01). The median time to death after the decision to limit LST was 2 days (interquartile range: 1-5.5 days), and 94% of the patients were on mechanical ventilation at the time of death in the limitation group. CONCLUSIONS Although limiting LST was a common practice in end-of-life care in a Japanese PICU, a severe limitation of LST such as withdrawal from the ventilator was hardly practiced, and a considerable LST was still provided at the time of death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiko Suzuki
- 1 Department of Anesthesiology and Palliative Care, Nissay Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Muneyuki Takeuchi
- 2 Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazuya Tachibana
- 3 Department of Anesthesiology, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kanako Isaka
- 2 Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yu Inata
- 2 Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Osaka, Japan
| | - Keiko Kinouchi
- 3 Department of Anesthesiology, Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital, Osaka, Japan
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Suttle ML, Jenkins TL, Tamburro RF. End-of-Life and Bereavement Care in Pediatric Intensive Care Units. Pediatr Clin North Am 2017; 64:1167-1183. [PMID: 28941542 PMCID: PMC5747301 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2017.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Most childhood deaths in the United States occur in hospitals. Pediatric intensive care clinicians must anticipate and effectively treat dying children's pain and suffering and support the psychosocial and spiritual needs of families. These actions may help family members adjust to their loss, particularly bereaved parents who often experience reduced mental and physical health. Candid and compassionate communication is paramount to successful end-of-life (EOL) care as is creating an environment that fosters meaningful family interaction. EOL care in the pediatric intensive care unit is associated with challenging ethical issues, of which clinicians must maintain a sound and working understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markita L. Suttle
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital
| | - Tammara L. Jenkins
- Pediatric Trauma and Critical Illness Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - Robert F. Tamburro
- Pediatric Trauma and Critical Illness Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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18
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Zhang XY, Gao Y, Li CP, Zheng RX, Chen JL, Zhao L, Wang YF, Wang YG. Observed and projected trends in paediatric health resources and services in China between 2003 and 2030: a time-series study. BMJ Open 2017; 7:e015000. [PMID: 28647724 PMCID: PMC5623377 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 02/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The two-child policy took effect in China on 1 January 2016, thus officially ending the one-child policy. The resultant growth in the population will create a considerable demand for public services such as paediatric healthcare, even while there are limited paediatric resources. We estimated the relationship between paediatric health resources and services and child mortality to determine the degree of the deficiency of such resources in China. Projecting the quantity of paediatric health resource allocation and service supply through 2030 will help provide data reference for future policy decision making. DESIGN Time-series study. SETTING The People's Republic of China. PARTICIPANTS Paediatric patients whose data were recorded between 2003 and 2012 from the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Child mortality and paediatric health resources and services data were entered into a cubic polynomial regression model to project paediatric health resources and services to 2030. RESULTS Child mortality decreased throughout the past decade. Furthermore, the number of paediatric beds, paediatricians and nurses increased between 2003 and 2012, although the proportions increased rather slowly. Both the number and proportion of paediatric outpatients and inpatients increased rapidly. The observed and model-predicted values matched well (adjusted R2=93.8% for paediatric beds; adjusted R2=96.6% for paediatric outpatient visits). Overall, the projection indicated that paediatric beds, paediatricians and nurses will reach 460 148, 233 884 and 184 059 by 2030, respectively. Regarding paediatric services, the number of paediatric outpatient visits and inpatients is expected to reach upwards of 449.95 million and 21.83 million by 2030, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Despite implementation of the two-child policy, resource allocation in paediatrics has many deficiencies. Proper measures should be taken to actively respond to the demand for paediatric health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-yu Zhang
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Service Management, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ying Gao
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Service Management, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chang-ping Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Rong-xiu Zheng
- Department of Paediatric, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jie-li Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University Metabolic Diseases Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Service Management, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - You-fa Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Yao-gang Wang
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Service Management, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death is increasing in frequency, there are no national or international donation after circulatory determination of death guidelines specific to pediatrics. This scoping review was performed to map the pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death literature, identify pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death knowledge gaps, and inform the development of national or regional pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death guidelines. DATA SOURCES Terms related to pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death were searched in Embase and MEDLINE, as well as the non-MEDLINE sources in PubMed from 1980 to May 2014. STUDY SELECTION Seven thousand five hundred ninety-seven references were discovered and 85 retained for analysis. All references addressing pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death were considered. Exclusion criteria were articles that did not address pediatric patients, animal or laboratory studies, surgical techniques, and local pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death protocols. Narrative reviews and opinion articles were the most frequently discovered reference (25/85) and the few discovered studies were observational or qualitative and almost exclusively retrospective. DATA EXTRACTION Retained references were divided into themes and analyzed using qualitative methodology. DATA SYNTHESIS The main discovered themes were 1) studies estimating the number of potential pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death donors and their impact on donation; 2) ethical issues in pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death; 3) physiology of the dying process after withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy; 4) cardiac pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death; and 5) neonatal pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death. Donor estimates suggest that pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death will remain an event less common than brain death, albeit with the potential to substantially expand the existing organ donation pool. Limited data suggest outcomes comparable with organs donated after neurologic determination of death. Although there is continued debate around ethical aspects of pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death, all pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death publications from professional societies contend that pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death can be practiced ethically. CONCLUSIONS This review provides a comprehensive overview of the published literature related to pediatric donation after circulatory determination of death. In addition to informing the development of pediatric-specific guidelines, this review serves to highlight several important knowledge gaps in this topic.
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Meert KL, Keele L, Morrison W, Berg RA, Dalton H, Newth CJL, Harrison R, Wessel DL, Shanley T, Carcillo J, Clark A, Holubkov R, Jenkins TL, Doctor A, Dean JM, Pollack M. End-of-Life Practices Among Tertiary Care PICUs in the United States: A Multicenter Study. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2015; 16:e231-8. [PMID: 26335128 PMCID: PMC4562059 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000000520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe variability in end-of-life practices among tertiary care PICUs in the United States. DESIGN Secondary analysis of data prospectively collected from a random sample of patients (n = 10,078) admitted to PICUs affiliated with the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network between December 4, 2011, and April 7, 2013. SETTING Seven clinical centers affiliated with the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network. PATIENTS Patients included in the primary study were less than 18 years old, admitted to a PICU, and not moribund on PICU admission. Patients included in the secondary analysis were those who died during their hospital stay. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Two hundred and seventy-five (2.7%; range across sites, 1.3-5.0%) patients died during their hospital stay; of these, 252 (92%; 76-100%) died in a PICU. Discussions with families about limitation or withdrawal of support occurred during the initial PICU stay for 173 patients (63%; 47-76%; p = 0.27) who died. Of these, palliative care was consulted for 67 (39%; 12-46%); pain service for 11 (6%; 10 of which were at a single site); and ethics committee for six (3%, from three sites). Mode of death was withdrawal of support for 141 (51%; 42-59%), failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 53 (19%; 12-28%), limitation of support for 46 (17%; 7-24%), and brain death for 35 (13%; 8-20%); mode of death did not differ across sites (p = 0.58). Organ donation was requested from 101 families (37%; 17-88%; p < 0.001). Of these, 20 donated (20%; 0-64%). Sixty-two deaths (23%; 10-53%; p < 0.001) were medical examiner cases. Of nonmedical examiner cases (n = 213), autopsy was requested for 79 (37%; 17-75%; p < 0.001). Of autopsies requested, 53 (67%; 50-100%) were performed. CONCLUSIONS Most deaths in Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network-affiliated PICUs occur after life support has been limited or withdrawn. Wide practice variation exists in requests for organ donation and autopsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L Meert
- 1Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI. 2Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Valley Children's Hospital, Madera, CA. 3Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. 4Department of Critical Care Medicine, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ. 5Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. 6Department of Pediatrics, Mattel Children's Hospital at University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. 7Department of Pediatrics, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC. 8Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI. 9Department of Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. 10Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. 11Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Rockville, MD. 12Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO
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O’Hara C, Tamburro RF, Ceneviva GD. Dexmedetomidine for Sedation during Withdrawal of Support. Palliat Care 2015; 9:15-8. [PMID: 26339188 PMCID: PMC4551302 DOI: 10.4137/pcrt.s27954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Agents used to control end-of-life suffering are associated with troublesome side effects. The use of dexmedetomidine for sedation during withdrawal of support in pediatrics is not yet described. An adolescent female with progressive and irreversible pulmonary deterioration was admitted. Despite weeks of therapy, she did not tolerate weaning of supplemental oxygen or continuous bilevel positive airway pressure. Given her condition and the perception that she was suffering, the family requested withdrawal of support. Despite opioids and benzodiazepines, she appeared to be uncomfortable after support was withdrawn. Ketamine was initiated. Relief from ketamine was brief, and its use was associated with a "wide-eyed" look that was distressing to the family. Ketamine was discontinued and a dexmedetomidine infusion was initiated. The patient's level of comfort improved greatly. The child died peacefully 24 hours after initiating dexmedetomidine from her underlying disease rather than the effects of the sedative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris O’Hara
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Robert F Tamburro
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Gary D Ceneviva
- Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Hershey, PA, USA
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Munshi L, Dhanani S, Shemie SD, Hornby L, Gore G, Shahin J. Predicting time to death after withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy. Intensive Care Med 2015; 41:1014-28. [PMID: 25944573 DOI: 10.1007/s00134-015-3762-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Predicting time to death following the withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy is difficult. Accurate predictions may better prepare families and improve the process of donation after circulatory death. METHODS We systematically reviewed any predictive factors for time to death after withdrawal of life support therapy. RESULTS Fifteen observational studies met our inclusion criteria. The primary outcome was time to death, which was evaluated to be within 60 min in the majority of studies (13/15). Additional time endpoints evaluated included time to death within 30, 120 min, and 10 h, respectively. While most studies evaluated risk factors associated with time to death, a few derived or validated prediction tools. Consistent predictors of time to death that were identified in five or more studies included the following risk factors: controlled ventilation, oxygenation, vasopressor use, Glasgow Coma Scale/Score, and brain stem reflexes. Seven unique prediction tools were derived, validated, or both across some of the studies. These tools, at best, had only moderate sensitivity to predicting the time to death. Simultaneous withdrawal of all support and physician opinion were only evaluated in more recent studies and demonstrated promising predictor capabilities. CONCLUSIONS While the risk factors controlled ventilation, oxygenation, vasopressors, level of consciousness, and brainstem reflexes have been most consistently found to be associated with time to death, the addition of novel predictors, such as physician opinion and simultaneous withdrawal of all support, warrant further investigation. The currently existing prediction tools are not highly sensitive. A more accurate and generalizable tool is needed to inform end-of-life care and enhance the predictions of donation after circulatory death eligibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laveena Munshi
- Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, University Health Network and Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada
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Siddiqui NUR, Ashraf Z, Jurair H, Haque A. Mortality patterns among critically ill children in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a developing country. Indian J Crit Care Med 2015; 19:147-50. [PMID: 25810609 PMCID: PMC4366912 DOI: 10.4103/0972-5229.152756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Advances in biomedical technology have made medical treatment to be continued beyond a point, at which it does not confer an advantage but may increase the suffering of patients. In such cases, continuation of care may not always be useful, and this has given rise to the concept of limitation of life-sustaining treatment. Our aim was to study mortality patterns over a 6-year period in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) in a developing country and to compare the results with published data from other countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective cohort study was conducted in a PICU of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Data were drawn from the medical records of children aged 1-month - 16 years of age who died in PICU, from January 2007 to December 2012. RESULTS A total of 248 (from an admitted number of 1919) patients died over a period of 6 years with a mortality rate 12.9%. The median age of children who died was 2.8 years, of which 60.5% (n = 150) were males. The most common source of admission was from the emergency room (57.5%, n = 143). The most common cause of death was limitation of life-sustaining treatment (63.7%, n = 158) followed by failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (28.2%, n = 70) and brain death (8.1%, n = 20). We also found an increasing trend of limitation of life-sustaining treatment do-not-resuscitate (DNR) over the 6-year reporting period. CONCLUSION We found limitation of life support treatment (DNR + Withdrawal of Life support Treatment) to be the most common cause of death, and parents were always involved in the end-of-life care decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveed-ur-Rehman Siddiqui
- From: Department of Pediatric and Child Health, Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zohaib Ashraf
- Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Humaira Jurair
- From: Department of Pediatric and Child Health, Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Anwarul Haque
- From: Department of Pediatric and Child Health, Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The intensive care unit environment focuses on interventions and support therapies that prolong life. The exercise by nurses of their autonomy impacts on perception of the role they assume in the multidisciplinary team and on their function in the intensive care unit context. There is much international research relating to nurses' involvement in end-of-life situations; however, there is a paucity of research in this area in Brazil. In the Brazilian medical scenario, life support limitation generated a certain reluctance of a legal nature, which has now become unjustifiable with the publication of a resolution by the Federal Medical Council. In Brazil, the lack of medical commitments to end-of-life care is evident. OBJECTIVE To understand the process by which nurses exercise autonomy in making end-of-life decisions in intensive care units. RESEARCH DESIGN Symbolic Interactionism and Corbin and Strauss theory methodology were used for this study. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT Data were collected through single audio-recorded qualitative interviews with 14 critical care nurses. The comparative analysis of the data has permitted the understanding of the meaning of nurse's experience in exercising autonomy relating to end-of-life decision-making. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS Institutional ethics approval was obtained for data collection. Participants gave informed consent. All data were anonymized. FINDINGS The results revealed that nurses experience the need to exercise autonomy in intensive care units on a daily basis. Their experience expressed by the process of increase opportunities to exercise autonomy is conditioned by the pressure of the intensive care unit environment, in which nurses can grow, feel empowered, and exercise their autonomy or else can continuously depend on the decisions made by other professionals. CONCLUSION Nurses exercise their autonomy through care. They work to create new spaces at the same time that they acquire new knowledge and make decisions. Because of the complexity of the end-of-life situation, nurses must adopt a proactive attitude that inserts them into the decision-making process.
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Abstract
Parents generally have the right to make medical decisions for their children. This right can be challenged when the parents' decision seems to go against the child's interests. The toughest such decisions are for a child who will survive with physical and neurocognitive impairments. We discuss a case of a 5-year-old boy who suffered a spinal injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident and whose father requests discontinuation of life support. Many experts recommend a "trial of therapy" to clarify both prognosis and quality of life. The key ethical question, then, is not whether to postpone a decision to forego mechanical ventilation. Instead, the key question is how long to wait. Parents should be allowed time to see what life will be like for themselves and for their child. Most of the time, life turns out better than they might have imagined. Comments are provided by 2 pediatric intensivists, Drs William Novotny and Ronald Perkin of East Carolina University, and by a specialist in rehabilitation, Dr Debjani Mukherjee of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
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Affiliation(s)
- William E Novotny
- Department of Pediatrics, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
| | - Ronald M Perkin
- Department of Pediatrics, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
| | - Debjani Mukherjee
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; Donnelley Ethics Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; and
| | - John D Lantos
- University of Missouri at Kansas City and Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri
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26
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El Halal GMCA, Piva JP, Lago PM, El Halal MGS, Cabral FC, Nilson C, Garcia PCR. Parents' perspectives on the deaths of their children in two Brazilian paediatric intensive care units. Int J Palliat Nurs 2013; 19:495-502. [DOI: 10.12968/ijpn.2013.19.10.495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jefferson P Piva
- Pediatrics, UFRGS University, and Director, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Patrícia M Lago
- UFCSPA University, and Pediatric Intensivist, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre
| | | | | | - Cristine Nilson
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, and Master of Science student, Postgraduate Program Child Health, PUCRS University
| | - Pedro CR Garcia
- PUCRS University, and Director, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Sao Lucas, Brazil
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Gupta N, Harrop E, Lapwood S, Shefler A. Journey from Pediatric Intensive Care to Palliative Care. J Palliat Med 2013; 16:397-401. [DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2012.0448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Neelam Gupta
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Harrop
- Helen and Douglas Hospice, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alison Shefler
- Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
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28
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Bordet F, Bouvier-Jambon G, Didier C, Javouhey E. [Epidemiology and evaluation of withdrawing and withholding of treatment procedure in a pediatric intensive care unit]. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [PMID: 23182182 DOI: 10.1016/j.annfar.2012.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Leonetti Law of 2005 concerns procedures for questioning about the appropriateness of initiating or maintaining life-sustaining treatments. Decision of withdrawing and withholding treatment has long been practiced by neonatologists, adult and pediatricians intensivists. In this regard, the recommendations of societies encourage medical teams to assess their practices to improve them. Our evaluation is based on the document of the Ethics Committee of SRLF edited in 2010. TYPE OF STUDY We achieved a retrospective evaluation of professional practices of the transcription of our decisions of withdrawing and withholding treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study included all children (95 patients) who have had a questioning about life-sustaining treatment of ICU between March 2008 and August 2011 in the pediatric intensive care unit of Children's Hospital of Lyon. Our evaluation is based on the document of the Ethics Committee of French Society of intensive care (SRLF) edited in 2010. We collected epidemiological data on children concerned by questioning about the appropriateness of initiating or maintaining LST and an evaluation of the transcription of our procedures for LST in our folders. Evaluation included 40 cases: 20 folders randomly selected prior an information meeting (January 2011) which were compared with 20 cases occurred consecutively after this information. This meeting was intended to remind recommendations of good practice and principal points of the law. The main assessment measure was the improvement of the practices respecting criteria of the document of the Ethics Committee of SRLF modified for pediatric care. MAIN RESULTS Epidemiological data on procedures are comparable to literature data. Concerning the evaluation of our practices before/after a briefing and highlighted a tendency to the improvement without statistically significance. The transcription of reflection and the arguments of decision of withdrawing and withholding treatment and evaluation of pain was the points who need improvement. Finally, despite the positive developments in the therapeutic use of analgesics and sedatives, pain continues to be undervalued. CONCLUSION The evaluation of professional practices is recommended to improve the procedures of questioning about life-sustaining treatments have become an area of expertise in intensive care.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Bordet
- Service de réanimation pédiatrique, hôpital Femme-Mère-Enfant, 59 boulevard Pinel, Lyon-Bron, France.
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29
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Influence of personal preferences for life-sustaining treatment on medical decision making among pediatric intensivists*. Crit Care Med 2012; 40:2464-9. [DOI: 10.1097/ccm.0b013e318255d85b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Development of a bedside tool to predict time to death after withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies in infants and children. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2012; 13:415-22. [PMID: 22067986 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0b013e318238b830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To generate a preliminary bedside predictor of rapid time-to-death after withdrawal of support in children to help identify potential candidates for organ donation after circulatory death. DESIGN Retrospective chart review. SETTING Pediatric intensive care unit of an academic children's hospital. PATIENTS All deaths in the pediatric intensive care unit from May 1996 to April 2007. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Among 1389 deaths, 634 patients underwent withdrawal of support and 518 with complete data regarding demographics, life-supportive therapies, and end-of-life circumstances were analyzed. Three hundred seventy-three (72%) patients died within 30 mins of withdrawal and 452 (87%) died within 60 mins. Using multiple logistic regression, significant predictors of death within 30 or 60 mins (typical cut-off times for organ donation) were identified and a predictor score was generated. Significant predictors included: age 1 month or younger; norepinephrine, epinephrine, or phenylephrine >0.2 µg/kg/min; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and positive end-expiratory pressure >10 cmH2O; and spontaneous ventilation. Possible scores for the 30-min predictor ranged from -17 to 67; a score ≤-9 predicted a 37% probability of death ≤ 30 mins, whereas a score ≥ 38 predicted an 85% probability of death within 30 mins. For the 60-min predictor, scores ranged from -21 to 38; score ≤-10 predicted a 59% probability of death within 60 mins and a score ≥ 16 predicted a 98% probability of death within 60 mins. CONCLUSIONS This tool is a reasonable preliminary predictor for death within 30 or 60 mins after withdrawal of support in terminally ill or injured children and might assist in identifying potential pediatric candidates for donation after circulatory death, although prospective validation is required.
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31
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Abstract
UNLABELLED As the community of physicians and nurses dedicated to the care of critically ill children has gained ever more well-developed skill sets, the decision to either continue or forego life-sustaining measures has become less time-sensitive. As a result, there is greater opportunity for careful consideration and discussion. The core principle in making decisions about whether to continue or forego life-sustaining measures is the best interests of the child. However, there are many clinical situations wherein factors other than the child's best interests may influence treatment decisions. The present report seeks to examine the notion that in the arena of paediatric critical care medicine, the decision-making process regarding life-sustaining measures may place insufficient priority upon the child's best interests. We examine actual, de-identified clinical situations, encountered in the critical care arena in two categories: (i) cases that challenge the imperative to act in the child's best interests, and (ii) cases that compromise the ability of parents and caregivers to use child-centred, best-interests approaches to decision-making. Clarity surrounding the implications of a clinical decision for the patient is essential. Decisions that are not focused squarely on the child's best interests may compromise the delivery of optimally ethical end-of-life care. CONCLUSION The cases and analysis may benefit parents and caregivers as they struggle with the difficult ethical issues that accompany decisions to continue or forego life-sustaining measures in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N Cornfield
- Center of Excellence in Pulmonary Biology, Division of Pediatric Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments: an 8-yr retrospective review in a Spanish pediatric intensive care unit. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2011; 12:e383-5. [PMID: 21263365 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0b013e31820aba5b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the death rate of patients who died in our pediatric intensive care unit after a decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment was made and to describe the epidemiologic data, clinical (acute and chronic) conditions, end-of-life care, and decision-making processes corresponding to these patients. DESIGN Long-term retrospective review of patients' charts. SETTING Mixed university-affiliated pediatric intensive care unit. PATIENTS Patients younger than 18 yrs old whose deaths occurred after life-sustaining treatment was withheld or withdrawn. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Epidemiologic and clinical data, the treatments received, the decision-making process, and the end-of-life pathway were evaluated. Ninety-seven of 311 deaths occurred after a medical decision to withhold life-sustaining treatment. Among these patients, the most common reason for admission was respiratory failure (44 of 97), followed by cardiopulmonary arrest and sepsis. In 50 of 97 there was a previously known neurologic condition before admission, 11 of 97 had a neoplasm or hematologic malignancy, 10 of 97 had a congenital heart disease, and 8 of 97 had a neuromuscular disease. The most common action for forgoing life-sustaining treatment was withdrawal of treatment (chiefly respiratory support). The median time for deciding to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment was on day 3 of admission. A total of 85 of 97 deaths occurred within 48 hrs after the decision was made and action taken. The decision to forgo life-sustaining treatment was proposed by the family in 14 of 97 patients, and there was an explicit agreement between the medical staff and the patient's family in 88 of 97. In all cases, palliative analgesic/sedative treatment effectively maintained the child's comfort. CONCLUSIONS Withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment was a frequent mode of death in our pediatric intensive care unit, occurring at a rate that falls in the midrange of literature values. The level of the parents' involvement with the team in the decision-making process, which was documented in 88 of 97 of the medical charts, was very high. Patients with chronic neurologic diseases or with severe cognitive sequelae constituted the main group in which the decision to forgo life-sustaining treatment was made.
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33
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Forgoing life support: how the decision is made in European pediatric intensive care units. Intensive Care Med 2011; 37:1881-7. [DOI: 10.1007/s00134-011-2357-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Poles K, Szylit Bousso R. Dignified death: Concept development involving nurses and doctors in Pediatric Intensive Care Units. Nurs Ethics 2011; 18:694-709. [DOI: 10.1177/0969733011408043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to develop the concept of the dignified death of children in Brazilian pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). The Hybrid Model for Concept Development was used to develop a conceptual structure of dignified death in PICUs in an attempt to define the concept. The fieldwork study was carried out by means of in-depth interviews with nine nurses and seven physicians working in PICUs. Not unexpectedly, the concept of dignified death was found to be a complex phenomenon involving aspects related to decisions made by the multidisciplinary team as well as those related to care of the child and the family. Knowledge of the concept’s dimensions can promote reflection on the part of healthcare professionals regarding the values and beliefs underlying their conduct in end-of-life situations. Our hope is that this study may contribute to theoretic and methodological development in the area of end-of-life care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kátia Poles
- University Center of Lavras (UNILAVRAS), Brazil,
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35
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Shore PM, Huang R, Roy L, Darnell C, Grein H, Robertson T, Thompson L. Potential for liver and kidney donation after circulatory death in infants and children. Pediatrics 2011; 128:e631-8. [PMID: 21859917 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2010-3319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the potential effect of organ donation after circulatory death (DCD) on the number of kidney and liver donors in a PICU. PATIENTS AND METHODS All deaths in the PICU of an academic, tertiary care children's hospital from May 1996 to April 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, premortem physiology, and end-of-life circumstances were recorded and compared with basic criteria for potential organ donation. A sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the effect of more strict physiologic and time criteria as well as 3 different rates of consent for donation. RESULTS There were 1389 deaths during 11 years; 634 children (46%) underwent withdrawal of life support, of whom 518 had complete data and were analyzed. There were 131 children (25% of those withdrawn, 9% of all deaths) who met basic physiologic and time criteria for organ donation (80 kidney; 107 liver). Consideration of consent rates in sensitivity analysis resulted in an estimated 24 to 85 organ donors, an increase of 28% to 99% over the 86 actual brain-dead donors during the same time period. Assuming historical rates of organ recovery, these DCD donors might have produced 30 to 88 additional kidneys and 8 to 56 additional livers, an increase of 21% to 60% in kidney donation and 13% to 80% in livers above the number of organs recovered from brain-dead donors. CONCLUSIONS Although relatively few children may have been eligible for DCD, they might have increased the number of organ donors from our institution, depending greatly on consent rates. DCD merits additional discussion and exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Shore
- Department of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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36
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Longden JV. Parental perceptions of end-of-life care on paediatric intensive care units: a literature review. Nurs Crit Care 2011; 16:131-9. [PMID: 21481115 DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-5153.2011.00457.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM AND OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to review the literature relating to parental perceptions on what constitutes quality end-of-life care (ELC) at the time of their child's death in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs). BACKGROUND There are few issues in medicine as complex as those involving ELC provision and within paediatric intensive care, these decisions are particularly emotive. Improving the quality of ELC has become a national priority and an understanding of the reality of parents during and after the loss of a child is a mandatory step in achieving this. Efforts to improve ELC in PICU must be based on an understanding of the issues and problems that are unique to parents within this environment and cannot simply be extrapolated from other settings. It is imperative that this has a high priority in training, clinical practice and research for all members of the intensive care team. SEARCH STRATEGY Databases were systematically searched to identify primary research that related specifically to parental needs during the death of their child on PICU and published between 2000 to the present. CONCLUSIONS Although the retrospective nature of the studies reviewed presents some limitations, it does provide a broad overview of the characteristics of parental needs, indicating the scope for further empirical research. The identification and acknowledgement of the fundamental needs of parents at this time can enable health professionals to provide competent and compassionate ELC which is as focussed and evidence based as other aspects of paediatric critical care medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer V Longden
- Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK.
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37
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Cremer R, Hubert P, Grandbastien B, Moutel G, Leclerc F. Prevalence of questioning regarding life-sustaining treatment and time utilisation by forgoing treatment in francophone PICUs. Intensive Care Med 2011; 37:1648-55. [PMID: 21845503 DOI: 10.1007/s00134-011-2320-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2010] [Accepted: 04/12/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Our goal is to assess the prevalence of questioning about the appropriateness of initiating or maintaining life-sustaining treatments (LST) in French-speaking paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) and to evaluate time utilisation related to decision-making processes (DMP). METHODS 18-month, multicentre, prospective, descriptive, observational study in 15 French-speaking PICUs. RESULTS Among the 5,602 children admitted, 410 died (7.3%), including 175 after forgoing LST (42.7% of deaths). LST was questioned in 308 children (5.5%) with a prevalence of 13.3 per 100 patient-days. More than 30% of children survived despite the appropriateness of LST being questioned (23% despite a decision to forgo treatment). Median caregiver time spent on making and presenting the decisions was 11 h per child. CONCLUSIONS In this study, on any given day in each 10-bed PICU, there was more than one child for whom a DMP was underway. Of children, 23% survived despite a decision to forgo LST being made, which underlines the need to elaborate a care plan for these children. Also, DMP represented a large amount of staff time that is undervalued but necessary to ensure optimal palliative practice in PICU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Cremer
- Réanimation Pédiatrique, Hôpital Jeanne de Flandre, CHU de Lille, 59037 Lille Cedex, France.
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Lago PM, Nilson C, Piva JP, Halal MG, Carvalho Abib GMD, Garcia PCR, Vieira AC. Nurses’ participation in the end-of-life — process in two paediatric intensive care units in Brazil. Int J Palliat Nurs 2011; 17:264, 267-70. [DOI: 10.12968/ijpn.2011.17.6.264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia M Lago
- Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Cristine Nilson
- Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jefferson Pedro Piva
- Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Michel Georges Halal
- Fellow, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Celiny R Garcia
- Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ana Cláudia Vieira
- Hospital São Lucas, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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39
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Oberender F, Tibballs J. Withdrawal of life-support in paediatric intensive care--a study of time intervals between discussion, decision and death. BMC Pediatr 2011; 11:39. [PMID: 21599993 PMCID: PMC3123185 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2431-11-39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2011] [Accepted: 05/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Scant information exists about the time-course of events during withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. We investigated the time required for end-of-life decisions, subsequent withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and the time to death. Methods Prospective, observational study in the ICU of a tertiary paediatric hospital. Results Data on 38 cases of withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment were recorded over a 12-month period (75% of PICU deaths). The time from the first discussion between medical staff and parents of the subject of withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment to parents and medical staff making the decision varied widely from immediate to 457 hours (19 days) with a median time of 67.8 hours (2.8 days). Large variations were subsequently also observed from the time of decision to actual commencement of the process ranging from 30 minutes to 47.3 hrs (2 days) with a median requirement of 4.7 hours. Death was apparent to staff at a median time of 10 minutes following withdrawal of life support varying from immediate to a maximum of 6.4 hours. Twenty-one per cent of children died more than 1 hour after withdrawal of treatment. Medical confirmation of death occurred at 0 to 35 minutes thereafter with the physician having left the bedside during withdrawal in 18 cases (48%) to attend other patients or to allow privacy for the family. Conclusions Wide case-by-case variation in timeframes occurs at every step of the process of withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment until death. This knowledge may facilitate medical management, clinical leadership, guidance of parents and inform organ procurement after cardiac death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Oberender
- Intensive Care Unit, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, VIC 3052, Australia.
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Withholding and Withdrawing Life-Sustaining Therapies. Palliat Care 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-1-4377-1619-1.00022-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Sands R, Manning JC, Vyas H, Rashid A. Characteristics of deaths in paediatric intensive care: a 10-year study. Nurs Crit Care 2009; 14:235-40. [PMID: 19706074 DOI: 10.1111/j.1478-5153.2009.00348.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe the patient mortality over a 10-year period in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) including patient demographics, length of stay, cause and mode of death and to compare these findings with pre-existing literature from the western world. DESIGN A retrospective chart review. SETTING A UK tertiary PICU. PATIENTS All children who died in the PICU over a 10-year period between 1 November 1997 and 31 October 2007 (n = 204). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Data recorded for each patient included patient demographics, length of stay and cause of death according to the International Classification of Disease-10 classification, and mode of death. Mode of death was assigned for each patient by placement in one of four categories: (i) brain death (BD), (ii) managed withdrawal of life-sustaining medical therapy (MWLSMT), (iii) failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and (iv) limitation of treatment (LT). Over the study period, findings showed a median length of stay of 2 days (IQR 0-5 days), with a mortality rate of 5%. The most common mode of death was MWLSMT (n = 112, 54.9%) and this was consistent across the 10-year period. Linear regression analysis demonstrated no significant change in trend over the 10 years in each of the modes of death; BD (p = 0.84), MWLSMT (p = 0.88), CPR (p = 0.35) and LT (p = 0.67). CONCLUSION End-of-life care is an important facet of paediatric intensive nursing/medicine. Ten years on from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health publication 'Withholding or withdrawing life sustaining treatment in children: A framework for practice', this study found managed withdrawal of MWLSMT to be the most commonly practised mode of death in a tertiary PICU, and this was consistent over the study period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Sands
- MRCPCH, Paediatric Specialist Registrar, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen's Medical Centre Campus, Derby Road, Nottingham, UK
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Abstract
O estudo teve por objetivo descrever os antecedentes, atributos e conseqüências do conceito de morte digna da criança. Utilizou-se a estratégia de análise de conceito para avaliar os 40 artigos, tendo como foco publicações nas áreas médica e de enfermagem, que estudaram ou focalizaram a morte digna da criança. Os atributos do conceito de morte digna da criança incluem: qualidade de vida, cuidado centrado na criança e na família, conhecimento específico sobre cuidados paliativos, decisão compartilhada, alívio do sofrimento da criança, comunicação clara, relacionamento de ajuda e ambiente acolhedor. Poucos artigos trazem a definição de morte digna da criança e, quando isso ocorre, essa definição é vaga e, muitas vezes, ambígua entre os vários autores. Esse aspecto indica que o conceito ainda não é consistentemente definido, demandando estudos de sua manifestação na prática clínica, contribuindo com os cuidados no final da vida em pediatria.
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Intercontinental differences in end-of-life attitudes in the pediatric intensive care unit: results of a worldwide survey. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2008; 9:560-6. [PMID: 18838925 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0b013e31818d3581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine intercontinental differences in end-of-life practices in pediatric intensive care units. DESIGN An international survey. The on-line questionnaire consisted of two case scenarios with five questions each. The scenarios described the management of children in pediatric intensive care units and the questions dealt with the decision-making process and the modalities of forgoing life support. SETTING The participants at the 5th World Congress on Pediatric Critical Care Medicine organized by the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies (June 2007, Geneva, Switzerland) were invited to participate. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Six hundred sixty seven complete questionnaires were received from 71 countries, which were grouped into six continents: Europe (52.7%), North America (17.9%) and South America (9.5%), Asia (7.6%), Australia (6%), and Middle East (4.3%). In both scenarios, physicians played the major role in decision making in all of the continents. However, parents from North America, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia seem to be more involved in the decision-making process, compared with those from Europe and South America. In cases of septic shock, caregivers from Europe and South America are more prone to forego life support despite parents' wishes. In North America and Australia, parents' presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is usually accepted (89.7% and 92.3%, respectively), whereas their presence is less accepted in Asia (54%) and Europe (54.8%), or much less accepted in South America (25.8%) and the Middle East (7.1%). In both scenarios, the option to withhold rather than withdraw life supports was more commonly chosen among all continents, except South America, where the withdrawal of life support was more often proposed (51.6% vs. 45.2%). CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that important intercontinental differences exist toward end-of-life issues in pediatric intensive care. Although the legal and ethical situation is rapidly evolving, a certain degree of paternalism seems to persist among European and South-American caregivers. This study suggests that ethical principles depend on the cultural roots of countries or continents, emphasizing the need to foster dialogue on end-of-life issues around the world to learn from each other and improve end-of-life care in pediatric intensive care units.
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Moore P, Kerridge I, Gillis J, Jacobe S, Isaacs D. Withdrawal and limitation of life-sustaining treatments in a paediatric intensive care unit and review of the literature. J Paediatr Child Health 2008; 44:404-8. [PMID: 18638332 DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2008.01353.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine withdrawal and limitation of life-sustaining treatment (WLST) in an Australian paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and to compare this experience with published data from other countries. DESIGN Retrospective chart review and literature review. SOURCE OF DATA Review of 12 months of patient records from a tertiary Australian children's teaching hospital. Medline search using relevant key words focusing on death and PICU. RESULTS Twenty of 27 deaths (74%) followed either WLST (n = 16) or Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders (n = 4); five children failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); and two children were brain-dead. Meetings between the medical team and family were documented for 15 of 16 children (93.8%) before treatment was withdrawn. The average time between withdrawal of life support and death was 13 min. A review of the English-language literature revealed that 18-65% occurring in PICUs worldwide follow WLST and/or institution of DNR orders. Rates were higher (30-65%) in North America and Europe than elsewhere. Most PICU deaths occurred within 3 days of admission. North American and British parents appear to be involved in decisions regarding withdrawal and limitation of treatment more often than parents in other countries. CONCLUSIONS Withdrawal and limitation of life-sustaining treatment was more common in an Australian children's hospital ICU than has been reported from other countries. Details of discussion with parents, including the basis for any decision to WLST, were almost always documented in the patient's medical record.
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Devictor D, Carnevale F. Improving end-of-life care in the pediatric intensive care unit. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.2217/14750708.5.4.387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Devictor D, Latour JM, Tissières P. Forgoing life-sustaining or death-prolonging therapy in the pediatric ICU. Pediatr Clin North Am 2008; 55:791-804, xiii. [PMID: 18501766 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcl.2008.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Most deaths in the pediatric intensive care unit occur after a decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments. The management of children at the end of life can be divided into three steps. The first concerns the decision-making process. The second concerns the actions taken once a decision has been made to forego life-sustaining treatments. The third regards the evaluation of the decision and its implementation. The mission of pediatric intensive care has expanded to provide the best possible care to dying children and their families. Improving the quality of care received by dying children remains an ongoing challenge for every pediatric intensive care unit team member.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Devictor
- Pediatric Intensive Care, Hôpital de Bicêtre, AP-HP, Department of Research on Ethics, Paris-Sud 11 University, Bicêtre 94275, France.
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Tagarro García A, Dorao Martínez-Romillo P, Moraleda S, López P, Moreno T, San-José B, Martínez Biarge M, Tapia Moreno R, Ruza-Tarrío F. Cuidados al final de la vida en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos: evaluación por parte del personal y de los padres. An Pediatr (Barc) 2008; 68:346-52. [DOI: 10.1157/13117705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence of life support limitation and medical practices in the last 48 hrs of life of children in seven Brazilian pediatric intensive care units (PICUs). DESIGN Cross-sectional multicenter retrospective study based on medical chart review. SETTING Seven PICUs belonging to university and tertiary hospitals located in three Brazilian regions: two in Porto Alegre (southern region), two in São Paulo (southeastern region), and three in Salvador (northeastern region). PATIENTS Medical records of all children who died in seven PICUs from January 2003 to December 2004. Deaths in the first 24 hrs of admission to the PICU and brain death were excluded. INTERVENTIONS Two pediatric intensive care residents from each PICU were trained to fill out a standard protocol (kappa = 0.9) to record demographic data and all medical management provided in the last 48 hrs of life (inotropes, sedatives, mechanical ventilation, full resuscitation maneuvers or not). Student's t-test, analysis of variance, chi-square test, and relative risk were used for comparison of data. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Five hundred and sixty-one deaths were identified; 97 records were excluded (61 because of brain death and 36 due to <24 hrs in the PICU). Thirty-six medical charts could not be found. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed in 242 children (57%) with a significant difference between the southeastern and northeastern regions (p = .0003). Older age (p = .025) and longer PICU stay (p = .001) were associated with do-not-resuscitate orders. In just 52.5% of the patients with life support limitation, the decision was clearly recorded in the medical chart. No ventilatory support was provided in 14 cases. Inotropic drug infusions were maintained or increased in 66% of patients with do-not-resuscitate orders. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of life support limitation has increased among Brazilian PICUs but with significant regional differences. Do-not-resuscitate orders are still the most common practice, with scarce initiatives for withdrawing or withholding life support measures.
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Rady MY, Verheijde JL, McGregor J. "Non-heart-beating," or "cardiac death," organ donation: why we should care. J Hosp Med 2007; 2:324-34. [PMID: 17935243 DOI: 10.1002/jhm.204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Organ donation after cessation of cardiac pump activity is referred to as non-heart-beating organ donation (NHBOD). NHBOD donors can be neurologically intact; they do not fulfill the brain death criteria prior to cessation of cardiac pump activity. For hospitals to participate in NHBOD, they must comply with a newly introduced federal requirement for ICU patients whose deaths are considered imminent after withdrawal of life support. This report describes issues related to NHBOD. METHODS A nonstructured review of selected publications and Web sites was undertaken. RESULTS Scientific evidence from autoresuscitation and extracorporeal perfusion suggests that verifying cardiorespiratory arrest lasting 2-5 minutes does not uniformly comply with the dead donor rule, so that the process of organ procurement can be the irreversible event defining death in organ donors. The interest of organ procurement organizations and affiliates in maximizing recovery of transplantable organs introduces self-serving bias in gaining consent for organ donation and abandons the basic tenet of obtaining true informed consent. The impact of donor management and procurement protocols on end-of-life (EOL) care and the potential trade-off are not disclosed, raising concern about whether potential donors and their families are fully informed before consenting to donation. CONCLUSIONS The use of comprehensive quality indicators for EOL care can determine the impact of NHBOD on care offered to donors and the effects on families and health care providers. Detailed evaluation of NHBOD will enable the public to make informed decisions about participating in this type of organ donation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Y Rady
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA.
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