Evaluation of Adult Patients with Childhood-onset Chronic Disease Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective: Many patients with childhood-onset chronic disease (CCD) can reach adulthood with improvements in medical treatments. They may require intensive care unit (ICU) admission for various reasons throughout their lives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reasons for hospitalization and treatment processes of patients with CCD in the adult ICU. Methods: The files of 69 patients with CCD who were treated in the adult ICU between June 1, 2010 and May 31, 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Demographic characteristics, CCD and coexisting diseases, ICU admission diagnosis, treatment processes, and results were recorded. Results: The patients were median age 24 (21-30.5) years 43.5% of whom were female. The most common CCD, comorbid disease, and diagnosis of ICU admission were cerebral palsy (27.5%), epilepsy (23.2%), and pneumonia (40.6%), respectively. Ten (52.6%) of 19 patients who died were lost due to sepsis. Mortality rates were significantly higher in patients with comorbid diseases, such as chronic lung disease or mental retardation (p<0.005). Conclusion: We believe that the life expectancy of patients with childhood chronic illnesses is increasing, necessitating the development of adult ICUs to cater to these patients. Furthermore, it is essential to provide training to doctors and nurses working in ICUs for special patient care.