PREVALENCE OF DEEP VENOUS THROMBOSIS IN THE LOWER-EXTREMITIES OF CHILDREN IN THE INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT

Purpose. To determine the prevalence of lower extremity deep venous th rombosis (LE-DVT) in children who spent at least 72 h in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). Materials and methods. Children up to the age of 17 years who spent at least 72 h in the ICU underwent lower ext remity venous ultrasound at the end of their stay. Prevalence range fo r the sample size was calculated with a confidence interval of 95 %. R esults. Among 76 children who spent 3-141 days in the ICU, the prevale nce of acute (and silent) DVT was 4 % (confidence interval 0-9 %). All three affected children had femoral venous catheters in that leg duri ng their ICU stay (17 unaffected children also had catheters). Conclus ion. Children in an ICU setting are at significantly lower risk for th rombosis than adults in the same setting.