Long-term neurocognitive outcomes after pediatric intensive care: exploring the role of drug exposure.

Background: Concerns exist regarding the impact of widely used clinical drugs on brain development. This study investigates long-term neurocognitive functioning in relation to frequently used drug exposure at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

Methods: This study compared children aged 6-12 years with previous PICU admission (age ≤1 year) for bronchiolitis requiring mechanical ventilation (patient group, n = 65) to a demographically comparable control group (n = 76) on a broad range of neurocognitive outcomes.

Intelligence outcome of pediatric intensive care unit survivors: a systematic meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Background: Long-term morbidity after pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission is a growing concern. Both critical illness and accompanying PICU treatments may impact neurocognitive development as assessed by its gold standard measure; intelligence. This meta-analysis and meta-regression quantifies intelligence outcome after PICU admission and explores risk factors for poor intelligence outcome.