Description of Patient Demographic Characteristics and Mortality of Pediatric Sepsis Patients

Abstract

Sepsis in children is a health problem associated with high morbidity and mortality. Lactate levels are a biomarker used to assess perfusion disorders and risk stratification in sepsis patients. However, evidence regarding the relationship between lactate levels and mortality in pediatric sepsis patients in Indonesia is still limited. This study aims to determine the demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics, mortality, and the relationship between lactate levels and mortality in pediatric patients with sepsis in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Haji Adam Malik General Hospital, Medan. The study used a descriptive quantitative design in the PICU. The population included pediatric patients with sepsis who were admitted from January 2023 to February 2024. The sample was selected using sequential sampling based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, with 101 patients. Data were obtained from medical records and analyzed descriptively and the relationship between lactate levels and mortality. Of the 157 patients, 101 met the study criteria. The majority were female (57.4%) and had normal nutritional status (39.6%). Respiratory distress was the most common indication for PICU admission (50.5%). The median length of stay was 5 days (1–79 days). A total of 72 patients (71.3%) died. The mean lactate level was 27.15 ± 26.12 mg/dL with a median of 20.2 mg/dL (4–166.5 mg/dL). The median lactate level in deceased patients was higher than in survivors (25.1 vs. 11.9 mg/dL; p<0.001). A cut-off of 18.1 mg/dL had a sensitivity of 68.1%, a specificity of 86.2%, a positive predictive value of 92.6%, and a negative predictive value of 53.1%. Mortality was high. Higher lactate levels can be considered a biomarker to help stratify mortality risk.