Relationship of Pediatric Overall Performance Category and Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category scores at pediatric intensive care unit discharge with outcome measures collected at hospital discharge and 1-and 6-month follow-up assessments

Objective: Given the current focus on outcomes, there is a crucial need for easily utilized measures that can effectively quantify morbidity or disabi lity after a child's critical illness or injury. The purpose of this study is to significantly extend the research on two such promising measures: the Pediatric Overall Performance Category (POPC) and the Pediatric Cerebral P erformance Category (PCPC), Design: Cross-sectional analysis of a sample of pediatric intensive care un it (PICU) discharges and a prospective follow-up of this cohort of children . Setting: Arkansas Children's Hospital. Patients: Two hundred children (ranging in age from birth to 21 yrs) discha rged from a PICU, Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Data were collected at PICU discharge, hospi tal discharge, and 1- and 6-month follow-up assessments after hospital disc harge. Measures utilized included the PCPC (at PICU discharge), PCPC (at PI CU discharge), Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, fourth edition (at hospit al discharge), Bayley Scales of Infant Development, second edition (at hosp ital discharge), and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (at 1 and 6 mont hs after discharge). Stanford-Binet Intelligence Quotients and Bayley Menta l Developmental Index scores were significantly different across PCPC categ ories (p < .0001), Bayley Psychomotor Developmental Index scores and Vinela nd Adaptive Behavior Scales scores varied significantly across POPC categor ies (p < .0001), The test for linear trend was also significant for each of the comparisons. Conclusions: The results of this study offer additional support for the use of the PCPC and PCPC, These brief and easily completed measures can provid e useful information regarding probable outcomes for pediatric intensive ca re patients when more extensive psychometric testing is not feasible or des irable.