PICU Admission Lactate and Central Venous Oxymetry Study (PALVOS)

Rationale: Hemodynamic therapy in children with circulatory insufficiency requires the use of hemodynamic monitoring parameters including parameters that reflect tissue/organ oxygenation and oxygen utilization. Two parameters are readily available at the bedside that may reflect this: arterial lactate level and central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2). To date is it unknown if these parameters are useful in guiding treatment of critically ill children. Also it is unknown how often lactate and ScvO2 are abnormal in children admitted to a Dutch PICU or if they are related to each.

Objective: The objective of this study is to find the incidence of a raised lactate level and or a decreased ScvO2, to study their mutual relation and to study the relation between lactate, ScvO2 and outcome parameters in children admitted to a Dutch PICU.

Study design: Observational cohort study

Study population: children admitted to a PICU <= 16 years

Intervention (if applicable): No intervention

Main study parameters/endpoints: Arterial lactate level, central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2), arterial blood gas analysis and general hemodynamic variables in the first 24 hours after admission. Parameters for organ dysfunction, severity of illness and outcome parameters like length of PICU stay.

Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: This is a strict observational design. No blood samples are taken for the purpose of this study. No intravascular catheters are inserted for the purpose of this study. No treatment strategy is associated with this study.