Revista chilena de pediatría
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Previous health state and acute failure of six organ system (cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, hematologic, renal and digestive systems) at admission to a pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) were evaluated in 71 patients that died along one year in an ICU of a pediatric hospital at Santiago, Chile. Acute organic system failure (AOF) and chronic organic failure (COF) were defined on clinical, laboratory and therapeutic standards at hand in this country. COF was present in 56% of the cases, and was mainly due to congenital heart malformations. ⋯ Multiple organ failure was the most frequent cause of death (33%) affecting preferentially patients with COF secondary to lung infections (40%) and central nervous system diseases (20%). AOF of the central nervous system was the second global cause of death and the first among previously healthy children. Irreversible respiratory malfunction caused 21% of deaths.