PD946 - NUTRITIONAL STATUS AS PREDICTOR OF MORTALITY AND LENGTH OF STAY AMONG MECHANICALLY VENTILATED PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY GOVERNMENT PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (PICU)

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PD946

NUTRITIONAL STATUS AS PREDICTOR OF MORTALITY AND LENGTH OF STAY AMONG MECHANICALLY VENTILATED PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY GOVERNMENT PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (PICU)

C. A. Lozarito1,*, M. S. Acuña1

1Medical Nutrition, Davao Regional Medical Center, Tagum City, Philippines

 

Rationale: Malnutrition is a major public health concern and a known risk factor for adverse outcomes in critically ill children. Evidence suggests that malnutrition may influence mortality and length of hospital stay (LOS), yet local data from pediatric intensive care settings in the Philippines remain limited. 

Methods: This study evaluated the nutritional status of mechanically ventilated pediatric ICU patients and examined its association with mortality and length of stay. A retrospective analytical study was conducted among 110 mechanically ventilated children admitted to a tertiary government PICU from January 1 to December 31, 2024. Demographic, clinical, and nutritional data were collected using WHO classifications and the Subjective Global Nutrition Assessment (SGNA). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Pearson correlation, and regression analyses were used, with p < .05 as the significance threshold.

Results: Severe malnutrition was highly prevalent, with 92.7% classified as SGNA C. Overall mortality was 33.6%. Among survivors with documented LOS (n = 62), the mean LOS was 22.3 days. No significant associations were found between nutritional status and mortality (p > .05) or between nutritional status and LOS (p > .05). PELOD2 score was the only significant independent predictor of mortality.

Conclusion: Although malnutrition was common among mechanically ventilated PICU patients, it was not significantly associated with mortality or LOS in this cohort. Illness severity, rather than nutritional status alone, was the strongest predictor of mortality. Findings highlight the need for strengthened early nutritional assessment and prospective research on nutrition-focused interventions.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared