Septic Shock in Children with and without Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Huang Haixin, Zhang Ruichen, Chen Jian, Dang Hongxing, Liu Chengjun, Lu Siwei, Fu Yue-qiang
Primary Institution: Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
Hypothesis
Septic shock children with malignancies have a worse prognosis than those without malignancies.
Conclusion
Septic shock children with malignancies have longer hospital stays but similar mortality rates compared to those without malignancies.
Supporting Evidence
- Children with malignancies had a longer length of stay in the hospital (21 vs. 11 days, p<0.001).
- The proportion of Gram-negative bacteria and fungal infections was significantly higher in children with malignancies.
- There were no significant differences in in-hospital mortality rates between the two groups (43.0% vs. 49.4%, p=0.276).
- 28-day mortality rates were also similar between the groups (49.2% vs. 44.7%, p=0.452).
- Children with malignancies had a higher frequency of blood infections (24.7% vs. 3.3%, p<0.001).
- Septic shock children without malignancies showed a higher need for mechanical ventilation (78.3% vs. 57.6%, p<0.001).
- Children with malignancies had lower levels of white blood cells, hemoglobin, and platelets compared to those without malignancies.
Takeaway
This study looked at kids with severe infections and found that those with cancer stayed in the hospital longer, but both groups had similar chances of surviving.
Methodology
A retrospective cohort study analyzing data from children admitted to the PICU due to septic shock from January 2015 to December 2022.
Potential Biases
Single-center data may introduce bias due to varying admission criteria across hospitals.
Limitations
Findings are based on a single center, sample size is relatively small, and treatment consistency between groups may vary.
Participant Demographics
508 children, 85 with malignancies (76.5% leukemia, 23.5% solid tumors), and 423 without malignancies.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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