Protocol development and feasibility of the PEACH in Asia study: A pilot study on PEri‐anesthetic morbidity in CHildren in Asia
2025

Pilot Study on Pediatric Anesthesia Safety in Asia

Sample size: 330 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Obara Soichiro, Bong Choon Looi, Ustalar Ozgen Zehra Serpil, Abbasi Shemila, Rai Ekta, Villa Evangeline K., Ramlan Andi Ade W., Zahra Raihanita, Kapuangan Christopher, Ferdiana Komang Ayu, Shariffuddin Ina Ismiarti, Yuen Vivian, Varghese Elsa, Tan Josephine S. K., Kuratani Norifumi

Primary Institution: Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health

Hypothesis

The PEACH in Asia pilot study aimed to test the feasibility of a standardized protocol for investigating severe critical events in pediatric anesthesia practices across Asia.

Conclusion

The pilot study successfully validated a protocol for investigating severe critical events in pediatric anesthesia across Asia.

Supporting Evidence

  • The pilot study enrolled 330 patients, with a severe critical event incidence of 12.4%.
  • Respiratory events were observed in 7.0% of cases, and cardiovascular instability in 4.9%.
  • The estimated sample size required for the main study is at least 10,958 patients.

Takeaway

This study looked at how safe anesthesia is for kids in Asia and found that there were some serious problems, but they also figured out a way to study it better in the future.

Methodology

This multicenter pilot study involved ten institutions across nine Asian countries, collecting data on severe critical events using standardized definitions.

Potential Biases

The necessity for informed consent in some regions may introduce selection bias.

Limitations

The short recruitment period and variability in patient enrollment across institutions limit the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

Of the 330 patients, 290 (87.9%) were of Asian descent, and 64 (19.4%) had an ASA physical status of III or higher.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.006

Confidence Interval

95% CI: 9.2–16.4

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1111/pan.15034

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