Death and Dying in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Prospective Multicenter, Multinational Study

Title

Death and Dying in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Prospective Multicenter, Multinational Study

Creator

Nicoll J; Dryden-Palmer K; Frndova H; Gottesman R; Gray M; Hunt EA; Hutchison JS; Joffe AR; Lacroix J; Middaugh K; Nadkarni V; Szadkowski L; Tomlinson GA; Wensley D; Parshuram CS; Farrell C

Publisher

Journal of Palliative Medicine

Date

2021

Subject

children; pediatric; palliative care; critical care; inpatient

Description

Background: For hospitalized children admitted outside of a critical care unit, the location, mode of death, "do-not-resuscitate" order (DNR) use, and involvement of palliative care teams have not been described across high-income countries. Objective: To describe location of death, patient and terminal care plan characteristics of pediatric inpatient deaths inside and outside the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Design: Secondary analysis of inpatient deaths in the Evaluating Processes of Care and Outcomes of Children in Hospital (EPOCH) randomized controlled trial. Setting/Subjects: Twenty-one centers from Canada, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Measurement: Descriptive statistics were used to compare patient and terminal care plan characteristics. A multivariable generalized estimating equation examined if palliative care consult during hospital admission was associated with location of death. Results: A total of 365 of 144,539 patients enrolled in EPOCH died; 219 (60%) died in PICU and 143 (40%) died on another inpatient unit. Compared with other inpatient wards, patients who died in PICU were less likely to be expected to die, have a DNR or palliative care consult. Hospital palliative care consultation was more common in older children and independently associated with a lower adjusted odds (95% confidence interval) of dying in PICU [0.59 (0.52-0.68)]. Conclusion: Most pediatric inpatient deaths occur in PICU where patients were less likely to have a DNR or palliative care consult. Palliative care consultation could be better integrated into end-of-life care for younger children and those dying in PICU.

Rights

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Citation List Month

February 2022 List

Collection

Citation

Nicoll J; Dryden-Palmer K; Frndova H; Gottesman R; Gray M; Hunt EA; Hutchison JS; Joffe AR; Lacroix J; Middaugh K; Nadkarni V; Szadkowski L; Tomlinson GA; Wensley D; Parshuram CS; Farrell C, “Death and Dying in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Prospective Multicenter, Multinational Study,” Pediatric Palliative Care Library, accessed March 28, 2024, https://pedpalascnetlibrary.omeka.net/items/show/17802.