Burden of Respiratory Illnesses in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Its Outcome

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are an important cause of mortality and morbidity among children; one-fifths of under-five mortality being contributed by them (predominantly pneumonias ). About 11.9 million episodes of severe and 3.0 million episodes of very severe acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI) result in hospital admissions in young children worldwide. Respiratory infections and illnesses in children thus form a substantial disease burden in Pediatric intensive care unit. With this is mind, we studied clinical profile and risk factors contributing to mortality, and outcome of children with acute respiratory infections.