Indications for Admitting Pediatric Patient with Community Acquired Pneumonia to ICU

 

Patient selection:pediatric patient being treated for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)

 

Outcome: admission to ICU or unit with continuous cardiorespiratory monitoring

 

Indications for admitting the patient to the ICU:

(1) requires ventilatory support

(1a) mechanical ventilation with invasive airway

(1b) noninvasive positive pressure venitilation or NPPV (continuous positive airway pressure, bilevel positive airway pressure)

(2) impending respiratory failure

(3) sustained tachycardia

(4) persistent hypotension or the need for vasoactive drugs to maintain blood pressure or perfusion

(5) oxygen saturation on pulse oximetry < 92% on FIO2 >= 50%

(6) altered mental status due to hypercarbia or hypoxemia

 

Severity of illness scores were not recommended as a sole criterion for ICU admission, but if the score is valid then why not?