Vladimir L. Cousin, Caroline Caula, Jason Vignot, Raphael Joye, Matthieu Blanc, Clémence Marais, Pierre Tissières
AP-HP Paris Saclay University, Bicêtre Hospital. Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Geneva University Hospital. Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto.
France, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Canada
Critical Care
Crit Care 2025; 29:
DOI: 10.1186/s13054-025-05300-2
Abstract
Background: Despite widespread vaccination programs, pertussis continues circulating within populations and remains a life-threatening infection in infants. While several mortality risk factors have been described, a comprehensive synthesis is lacking. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies investigating mortality risk factors in Pertussis infections and validated those factors in a large cohort.
Methods: Observational studies published in English were systematically searched in PubMed, EMBASE, and LiSSa databases from 01/2000 to 06/2024. The search yielded 816 unique citations. The primary outcome was mortality before discharge from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Two independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias and extracted data. A REML-random effect model was used to calculate pooled prevalence and conduct the analysis. The identified risk factors were subsequently evaluated in a monocentric cohort of patients admitted to a tertiary hospital’s PICU for severe pertussis between January 1996 and December 2020. Data analysis was conducted between June and August 2024.
Results: Seventeen studies, including 2,725 patients, met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of mechanical ventilation, continuous renal replacement therapy, and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation support were 55% (95% CI: 40-70; I2 = 98), 15% (95% CI: 3-27; I2 = 95), and 8% (95% CI: 3-12; I2 = 93), respectively. The pooled mortality incidence was 19% (95% CI:12-26; I2 = 96). Identified mortality risk factors included elevated heart rate, presence of pulmonary hypertension, presence of seizures, and elevated white blood cell (WBC) count. Validation in an 83-patient cohort (median age: 45 days, IQR: 30-55) revealed a mortality rate of 12%. Risk factors identified in the meta-analysis were significantly associated with non-survival in the cohort. A mortality prediction score was developed incorporating age < 30 days, heart rate > 200/min, and WBC > 30 G/l, achieving an area under the curve of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.86-0.99).
Conclusion: This meta-analysis identified a simple yet effective score to assess the severity of pertussis infection in infants admitted to PICU. Accurate risk stratification may enable timely treatment of critically ill patients, potentially improving outcomes.
Category
Class I. Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Infection
Diagnostic Testing for Pulmonary Vascular Disease. Risk Stratification
Age Focus: Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease
Fresh or Filed Publication: Fresh (PHresh). Less than 1-2 years since publication
Article Access
Free PDF File or Full Text Article Available Through PubMed or DOI: Yes