Association of extreme hyperoxemic events and mortality in pediatric critical care: an observational cohort study

Our aim was to confirm whether extreme hyperoxemic events had been associated with excess mortality in our diverse critical care population. Retrospective analysis of 9 years of data collected in the pediatric and cardiothoracic ICUs in Children's Hospital Los Angeles was performed. The analysis was limited to those mechanically ventilated for at least 24 h, with at least 1 arterial blood gas measurement. An extreme hyperoxemic event was defined as a PaO of ≥300 torr. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association of extreme hyperoxemia events and mortality, adjusting for confounding variables. Selected a-priori, these were Pediatric Risk of Mortality III predicted mortality, general or cardiothoracic ICU, number of blood gas measurements, as well as an abnormal blood gas measurements (pH 7.45, and PaO