Paediatric or Adult Critical Care for Teenagers
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A comparison of outcomes for teenagers cared for in adult intensive care units (AICU) and paediatric intensive care units (PICU): implications for PICU capacity planning
IRAS ID
156382
Contact name
Dora Wood
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Currently, children under 16 are usually cared for in a PICU. As there are fewer than 30 PICUs in the UK, this can mean transporting critically ill children and their families far from home support. We think overall this is better for small children, but teenagers are physically and psychologically different and we don’t know where they do best.
We will study whether outcomes are better for sick teenagers when treated in an intensive care unit specialised for children or in an adult intensive care unit, usually nearer home. We use existing routinely collected national data and interviews with patients, families and staff to look at physical, psychological and social outcomes.
Ultimately, if we find teenagers do as well or better in adult units, teenagers can be cared for locally without disrupting family support networks. Scarce PICU beds would then be available for smaller children who really need them. The information from this study will help set up a bigger national clinical trial to define the best place to look after critically ill teenagers.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SW/1131
Date of REC Opinion
5 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion