Critically ill children with Down Syndrome: The associated risk for cardiac arrest and mortality

Down Syndrome (DS) represents one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities in humans, occurring in one per 691 babies born in the United States, equivalent to about 6000 each year. Congenital heart diseases are commonand may represent a risk factor for early death in children with DS. However, little data are available on the epidemiology of cardiac arrest (CA ) in this category of patients and on its relevant outcome as compared to that of children with no genetic disease. Recent data show that the prevalence of CA in DS-patients admitted to intensive care unit is very similar to that observed in non-DS patients (2-3%), and that its outcome is relatively faviourable. This can be attributed to the high prevalence of cardiac causes, especially arrhythmias.