Optic nerve sheath diameter trajectories and mortality in children with clinically relevant elevated intracranial pressure

BACKGROUND: The optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measured by ultrasound has emerged as a significant noninvasive method for detecting elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), guiding timely interventions, and monitoring treatment response. Previous studies have shown that the baseline ONSD at admission is a prognostic indicator of mortality in adult patients with cerebrovascular events, traumatic brain injury, hepatic encephalopathy, and acute stroke. However, pediatric data on the dynamic changes in ONSD remain limited. AIM: To study the association between within-48 hours admission dynamic ONSD changes and mortality in children with clinically relevant elevated ICP. METHODS: This single-institution prospective study was performed at a tertiary Children's Hospital in Vietnam, between November 2023 and August 2024. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality rate. ONSD data were measured at admission, 24 hours, and 48 hours post-admission to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Linear mixed-effects models accounting for repeated measures within individuals were used to analyze the association between ONSD changes and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 69 PICU-admitted children with clinically relevant raised ICP were enrolled and included in the analysis. The median patient age was 6 years (interquartile range: 1-12), and males accounted for 54% of all patients. The in-hospital mortality rate in children with clinically relevant raised ICP was 23.2%. Traumatic brain injury, sepsis-associated encephalopathy, and septic shock were the main causes of death in this cohort. Linear mixed-effects analysis showed that dynamic variability in ONSD values upon PICU admission and during the first 48 hours later correlated significantly with increased mortality. Nonsurvivors had a 5.3% increase in the mean ONSD at 48 hours compared to baseline levels, while the survivors showed a 5.6% reduction in ONSD. CONCLUSION: Serial ultrasound-based ONSD measurements within 48 hours of admission better predicted mortality than baseline data in critically ill children, offering a practical, noninvasive tool for early prognosis in elevated ICP.