Objective: To reveal and describe the prevalence of demographic background and care provided for patients with PMV in PICUs. 

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Design: An international point prevalence study in PICU.

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Setting: PICUs in multiple countries, including North and South America, and European and Asian countries. 

Patients: Patients ≤ 18 years old who are on mechanical ventilation, with > 14 consecutive days (after 37 weeks postmenstrual age) of ventilation for more than 6 hours/day considering invasive ventilation and NIVs, on the day of the study. Patients with short interruptions (< 48 hours) of ventilation during the weaning process as the same episode of ventilation. 

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Measurements: Demographic data on included patients; their underlining disease and respiratory comorbidity leading/non-leading to PMV (e.g., prematurity, chronic lung disease, congenital heart disease), data on airway access, mechanical ventilation mode and parameters (i.e., invasive vs. non-invasive, other mode of ventilation including FIO2, duration of ventilation days), treatments (drugs used, invasive intravenous lines, feeding tubes), care unit where the patient admitted from prior to the PICU admission (e.g., NICU, general ward, who has been involved in the management), complications of mechanical ventilation will be collected. 

 

Circularization: We will collect and record data via an online website case report form (eCRF) link using a secure web application. Each site investigators will have a secured username and password to access the eCRF. 

Expecting Sample Size: We plan to conduct the study on isolated days three months apart for two years. We estimate that at least 2-5% of PICU-admitted cases require PMV. We estimate the prevalence of PMV in the PICUs are around 20%, which can give us 200 to 400 cases per study day from 50-100 participating centers.   

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