The outcome of children admitted to intensive care with meningococcal septicaemia

Objective To review our experience of children with meningococcal septicaemia, and to validate, in our group, severity scores used in different populations to predict outcome.Design Retrospective review of case notes and charts.Patients A total of 35 children were admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) in the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in the 8 years between January 1985 and December 1992 with proven meningococcal septicaemia.Results Ages ranged from 4 months to 16 years, with a median age of 20 months. The median meningococcal score was 4 and the median PRISM score was 20, with scores above these being significantly associated with death (P<0.0001). Thirty-two children (91%) received infusions of colloid for hypovolaemia and twenty-nine (83%) received one or more inotropic drugs. Twenty-one children (60%) required mechanical ventilation for a median of 16.5 h (range 7–574). Seven children (20%) underwent plasmapheresis. Six children (17%) underwent haemofiltration and two (6%), peritoneal dialysis. One patient received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) because of circulatory failure. Twenty-one children (60%) developed disseminated intravascular coagulation, renal failure and/or skin or limb necrosis. The overall survival was 66%, and all survivors are functionally normal.Conclusion The mortality from the disease remains at 34% despite the technological advances in intensive care. The PRISM and meningococcal scores are useful in predicting outcome. Novel methods of treatment (e.g., plasmapheresis or ECMO) may be valuable.