Abstract

TOUSSAINT-MARTINEZ DE CASTRO, Georgina et al. Nutritional status of children in critical condition at admission to pediatric intensive care units. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2013, vol.70, n.3, pp.216-221. ISSN 1665-1146.

Background. In Mexico the epidemiology of the nutritional status of pediatric patients has changed. Currently, nutritional diseases are better appreciated when patients are admitted to the pediatric intensive care units. Methods. A retrospective study was conducted from November 2002 to December 2007 in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. We recorded anthropometric data of children upon admission to the PICU. Nutritional status was calculated according to Z-score of body mass index in children <2 years of age according to the World Health Organization and in children 2-18 years of age according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Results. Prevalence of malnutrition, risk of malnutrition, overweight and obesity for children <2 years of age was 36.2%, 24.1%, 4.6% y 4.9%, respectively, and for preschool-age children was 24.2%, 22.1%, 9.2% and 7.6%, respectively. For school-age children, the percentages were 16.1% for malnutrition, 16.8% risk for malnutrition, 16.1% overweight, and 5.8% for obesity. In adolescents these values were 16.2%, 16.9%, 15.6% and 2.1%, respectively, for malnutrition, risk of malnutrition, overweight and obesity. Conclusions. Risk for diseases such as malnutrition continues to be present in children admitted to pediatric intensive care units. However, other emerging diseases such as overweight and obesity have a high frequency. This shows that the epidemiological situation of children with serious illnesses is not very different from the general population.

Keywords : critical condition; nutritional status; children; malnutrition; obesity.