VALIDATION OF A NUTRITIONAL SCREEN IN CHILDREN WITH RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS ADMITTED TO AN INTENSIVE-CARE COMPLEX

Objective. We sought to validate a nutritional screen that was easy to perform and accurate in identifying pediatric patients at risk for ad verse clinical outcomes based on their nutritional status. Methods. Tw enty-five consecutive patients admitted to our pediatric intensive car e complex between July 1999 and July 1993 with a primary diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus infection were evaluated. Nutritional scre en parameters included historical (disease and condition), growth (ant hropometrics), and laboratory (hemoglobin, lymphocyte count, and album in) data. outcome measures included days in the hospital, days of mech anical ventilation, days not fed enterally, and days receiving oxygen. Results. Regression analysis indicated that a score of 5 or less sign ified a low risk of adverse outcome and a score of greater than 5 sign ified a high risk. Eleven of 25 patients had low scores, and 14 of 25 had high scores. All outcome measures differed significantly between t he low- and high-risk groups:median number of days in the hospital, 7 and 13.5, respectively; median number of days of ventilation, 0 and 8. 5, respectively; median number of days without enteral feeding, 3 and 8.5, respectively; and median number of days receiving oxygen, 4 and 2 0, respectively. Conclusions. Our nutritional screen identifies patien ts in the pediatric intensive care complex with respiratory syncytial virus at increased risk for adverse outcome. This screen may be useful in identifying pediatric patients at risk for adverse clinical outcom es from other medical diagnoses.