Incidence and risk factors associated with venous thrombotic events in pediatric intensive care unit patients*

To evaluate the incidence and risk factors associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICUs).Prospective observational study.Eleven tertiary care PICUs in the United States.Children who were admitted to PICUs and had radiographically confirmed VTE over a rolling 6-month period were enrolled in the study. Demographic, patient-related, and outcomes data were collected and compared with all children admitted during the same period.None.: Sixty-six symptomatic VTE were documented in sixty-two patients among 6653 patients admitted to 11 PICUs. Thirteen (19.7%) of the thrombi were present on admission. The incidence rate was 0.74% (range, 0-2.7% per PICU) with a point prevalence of 0.93%. Doppler ultrasound was most frequently used to diagnose or confirm a suspected VTE. Variables associated with unadjusted risk for VTE include: younger age (3.8 months for patients with VTE vs. 51 months for non-VTE patients, p < .001), cardiac diagnosis (41% in VTE cases vs. 15% in non-VTE, p < .001), pre-/post-operative status (63% in VTE cases vs. 40% in non-VTE, p = .001), presence of central venous catheter (88% in VTE case vs. 17% in non-VTE, p < .001), or mechanical ventilation (85% in VTE cases vs. 30% non-VTE, p < .001). Multivariate analysis showed increased risk of VTE with CVC (odds ratio 6.9; confidence interval 2.7-17.5) and mechanical ventilation (odds ratio 2.8; confidence interval 0.98-7.93). Children with VTE were sicker (Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 score risk of mortality of 3.0% vs. 0.9%; p<0.0001), stayed longer in the ICU (21.2 days vs. 1.6 days; p < .0001) and had increased mortality (10.2% vs. 2.6; p < .0001).Children admitted to the PICU have an increased risk of VTE. The presence of a CVC is the strongest risk factor for VTE in this PICU population. Children with VTE were younger, sicker, stayed longer in PICU, and had a higher mortality rate.