Prediction of Poor Outcomes for Septic Children According to Ferritin Levels in a Middle-Income Setting*

Objectives: To evaluate serum ferritin measured within 48 hours of admission as a prognostic marker and examine the association with unfavorable outcomes in a population of pediatric patients with sepsis and high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in which this biomarker is routinely measured. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: PICU of a tertiary care teaching hospital in a middle-income country in South America. Patients: All patients 6 months to 18 years old (n = 350) admitted with a diagnosis of sepsis, suspected or proven, were eligible for inclusion. Exclusion criteria were length of PICU stay less than 8 hours and inherited or acquired disorder of iron metabolism that could interfere with serum ferritin levels. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Three-hundred twelve patients had their ferritin levels measured within 48 hours, and only 38 did not. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin
Source: Pediatric Critical Care Medicine - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Online Clinical Investigations Source Type: research