End-of-life Practices Among Tertiary Care Picus In The United States: A Multicenter Study

End-of-life Practices Among Tertiary Care Picus In The United States: A Multicenter Study

Meert KL; Keele L; Morrison W; Berg RA; Dalton H; Newth CJL; Harrison R; Wessel DL; Shanley T; Carcillo J; Clark A; Holubkov R; Jenkins T L; Doctor A; Dean JM; Pollack M

10.1097/PCC.0000000000000520

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

2015

Adolescent;Cause Of Death;Child;Child Preschool;Female;Hospital Mortality;Humans;Infant;Intensive Care Units Pediatric;Length Of Stay;Male;Practice Patterns Physicians';Prospective Studies;Terminal Care/methods;Terminal Care/statistics & Numerical Data;Tertiary Healthcare;Tissue And Organ Procurement/statistics & Numerical Data;United States

OBJECTIVE: To describe variability in end-of-life practices among tertiary care PICUs in the United States. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data prospectively collected from a random sample of patients (n = 10,078) admitted to PICUs affiliated with the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network between December 4, 2011, and April 7, 2013. SETTING: Seven clinical centers affiliated with the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network. PATIENTS: Patients included in the primary study were less than 18 years old, admitted to a PICU, and not moribund on PICU admission. Patients included in the secondary analysis were those who died during their hospital stay. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-five (2.7%; range across sites, 1.3-5.0%) patients died during their hospital stay; of these, 252 (92%; 76-100%) died in a PICU. Discussions with families about limitation or withdrawal of support occurred during the initial PICU stay for 173 patients (63%; 47-76%; p = 0.27) who died. Of these, palliative care was consulted for 67 (39%; 12-46%); pain service for 11 (6%; 10 of which were at a single site); and ethics committee for six (3%, from three sites). Mode of death was withdrawal of support for 141 (51%; 42-59%), failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation for 53 (19%; 12-28%), limitation of support for 46 (17%; 7-24%), and brain death for 35 (13%; 8-20%); mode of death did not differ across sites (p = 0.58). Organ donation was requested from 101 families (37%; 17-88%; p < 0.001). Of these, 20 donated (20%; 0-64%). Sixty-two deaths (23%; 10-53%; p < 0.001) were medical examiner cases. Of nonmedical examiner cases (n = 213), autopsy was requested for 79 (37%; 17-75%; p < 0.001). Of autopsies requested, 53 (67%; 50-100%) were performed. CONCLUSIONS: Most deaths in Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network-affiliated PICUs occur after life support has been limited or withdrawn. Wide practice variation exists in requests for organ donation and autopsy.

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