A Valuable Tool in Predicting Poor Outcome due to Sepsis in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: Tp-e/QT Ratio

Abstract

Objective: To assess the feasibility of 12-lead electrocardiographic (ECG) measures such as P wave dispersion (PWd), QT interval, QT dispersion (QTd), Tp-e interval, Tp-e/QT and Tp-e/QTc ratio in predicting poor outcome in patients diagnosed with sepsis in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: Ninety-three patients diagnosed with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock and 103 age- and sex-matched healthy children were enrolled into the study. PWd, QT interval, QTd, Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/QTc ratios were obtained from a 12-lead electrocardiogram.

Results: PWd, QTd, Tp-e interval and Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/QTc ratios were significantly higher in septic patients compared with the controls. During the study period, 41 patients had died. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, only Tp-e/QT ratio was found to be an independent predictor of mortality.

Conclusion: The ECG measurements can predict the poor outcome in patients with sepsis. The Tp-e/QT ratio may be a valuable tool in predicting mortality for patients with sepsis in the PICU.

Keywords: Tp-e/QT ratio; mortality.; pediatric intensive care unit; sepsis.