Presenter: Gamal Mohamed Hasan Ahmed
Affiliation: Assiut
University Children Hospital, United Arab Emirates
Presentation Type: Keynote Presentation (In-Person)
🦠
Viral Infections in the Pediatric ICU
🎯 Study Objective
This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of viral infections,
length of stay (LOS),
and clinical outcomes
among children admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during the
period preceding the COVID-19 pandemic in a country where Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) is endemic.
🏥 Study Design & Population
A retrospective chart review was conducted
involving children aged 0–14
years admitted to the PICU with confirmed viral infections.
The analysis included 1,736 PICU admissions,
evaluating epidemiology, disease severity, ventilatory support, and patient
outcomes.
📊 Key Findings
·
Out of
1,736 patients,
164 children (9.45%)
had confirmed viral infections.
·
The annual prevalence declined over three years,
from 11.7% to 7.3%.
·
Viral
infections accounted for 1,904.4
PICU patient-days, representing 21.94% of total PICU occupancy.
⏳
Length of Stay
·
Median
PICU length of stay (LOS):
11.6 days
🫁
Respiratory Support
·
91.5%
of patients required mechanical ventilation, including both non-invasive and invasive
support.
·
Children
with underlying comorbidities
had a significantly higher likelihood of intubation
(p = 0.025).
🧬
Single vs Multiple Viral Infections
Children infected with multiple viruses showed
more severe illness:
·
Higher
Pediatric Index of Mortality (PIM-2) score
o
Median
score: 4 vs 1 in single-virus
infections (p < 0.001)
·
Longer
PICU stay
o
Median
12 days vs 4 days (p < 0.001)
⚠ Mortality Outcomes
·
Overall
PICU mortality associated
with viral infections: 4.3% (7 patients)
·
Multiple
organ failure
significantly increased the risk of death (p = 0.001).
🔬 Clinical Implications
Viral infections contribute
significantly to PICU
workload and resource utilization, especially through the need
for mechanical ventilation
and prolonged hospital stays.
The observed decline in viral PICU admissions
between the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak and the onset of COVID-19 may suggest a phenomenon of viral interference,
highlighting an area that requires further epidemiological investigation.
✅ Conclusion
Viral infections represent a major
burden in pediatric critical care, accounting for nearly one-fifth of PICU patient-days
and requiring intensive respiratory support.
Children with multiple viral infections
experience greater disease
severity, longer hospital stays, and higher mortality risk.
Understanding viral epidemiology
in the PICU is crucial for clinical
preparedness, infection control strategies, and future pandemic planning.
👩⚕️ About the Speaker
Prof Gamal Ahmed is a
professor of Pediatrics and consultant pediatric critical care. He has an
extensive experience in the field of pediatric critical care with special
interest in the area of critical infections and sepsis. He has an extensive
academic as well as clinical practice experience in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and
United Arab Emirates. He has multiple numerous publications at international
peer reviewed journals. He is reviewer at many international pediatric
journals. He has special interest in the field of medical education and
currently, pediatric residency program director at Sheikh Shakhbout Medical
City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
🌍 Join the Global Conversation
Event:
International Conference on Pediatrics, Neonatology & Child Health
📅 March
26–28, 2026
📍 Singapore
& Online
🔗 Website: https://pediatrics.miconferences.com/
🔗 Register: https://pediatrics.miconferences.com/register
🔗 Abstract
Submission: https://pediatrics.miconferences.com/abstract-submission
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