Pediatric Risk of Mortality III Score in Predicting Mortality among Diabetic Ketoacidosis Patients in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Background Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is one of the most common complications of type 1 diabetes. Mortality is not uncommon in DKA, mostly in younger children with severe DKA and those complicated with cerebral edema. Early identification of high-risk patients can help in timely interventions to improve the outcome of DKA. Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM III) is a standard scoring system to objectively predict the prognosis and outcome of pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients. Objective To predict the need for inotrope and mechanical ventilation and mortality rate using PRISM III in DKA patients admitted to PICU. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted in the PICU of the National Institute of Child Health, Karachi, from February 2020 to September 2021 involving 114 children. PRISM III scoring protocol was applied. A PRISM III score of >8 predicted higher mortality risk. Results The mean PRISM III score was 6.56 ± 3.18 with 30 (26.3%) children having a score >8. Of the 30 (26.31%) patients with >8 PRISM III scores, 14 (46.67%) needed inotropic support, 6 (20%) needed mechanical ventilation, and there were eight (26.67%) mortalities. There was no reported mortality among patients with a PRISM III score ≤8. All differences were statistically significant (p < .05). Conclusion PRISM III is a highly sophisticated scoring system that can aid clinicians in the early prediction of adverse clinical outcomes in patients with DKA. Robust scientific evidence supporting its clinical application can help practically improve the outcome of DKA in young patients.