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Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine is the official journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, dedicated to research and clinical care of critically ill or injured infants, children, and adolescents. It welcomes research and academic writings for the multidisciplinary pediatric critical care team, including clinical research reports, other investigations, solicited reviews, and abstracts from pediatric critical care meetings. The journal has an international scope with a multinational editorial board and contributors, and provides translations of abstracts of selected articles in Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

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Subject Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Pediatrics
Impact Factor 4.5
Quartile Q1
Open Access Type Hybrid
ISSN 1529-7535
eISSN 1947-3893
Invitation Only No
Cost Range Optional open access available with an APC payable on acceptance; pricing listed on Wolters Kluwer’s Hybrid Open Access Journals page. Authors may also incur charges for color figure reproduction.

Submission Instructions

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.

Clinical Investigation

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Indicate any prior peer review history (and include reviews and point‑by‑point responses if applicable) and disclose preprint posting with a link, as well as any special considerations (e.g., predictive model rationale).
Title Page Include title; all author names, degrees, and affiliations; corresponding author email; funding/support; and a detailed conflicts of interest statement for each author, plus five MeSH keywords.
Abstract Provide a structured abstract of no more than 300 words with the headings: Objective, Design, Setting, Patients, Interventions, Measurements and Main Results, and Conclusions.
Key Points Include two information boxes: “Research in Context” and “What this Study Means” or “At the Bedside,” each with three concise bullet points (generally ≤100 words per box).
Main Manuscript Headings Organize the text using IMRaD: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions, followed by Acknowledgments, References, and Figure Legends.
Reference Format Number references in order of citation using Arabic numerals in parentheses. Abbreviate journal titles per MeSH, italicize journal titles, and include inclusive page ranges. References are limited to 40 per submission.
Figures Upload each figure as a separate TIF or EPS file at ≥300 dpi (line art ≥1200 dpi); do not embed in the manuscript. Provide figure legends in the main manuscript after the references. Tables/figures are limited to 5 per submission.
Tables Upload each table as a separate Word file with a concise title and column headings. Large or text‑heavy tables should be placed in the supplemental digital content. Tables/figures are limited to 5 per submission.
Additional Documents Include applicable reporting checklists (e.g., CONSORT or STROBE), IRB approval and consent statements, trial registration number (for trials), a 280‑character summary, data sharing and code links where appropriate, and permissions for any reproduced/adapted content.
Word Count A maximum of 3,000 words are permitted for this article type.
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Systematic Review/ Meta-Analysis

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Summarize the review’s scope and importance, disclose preprint status if any, and note registration details and any protocol deviations.
Title Page List title; authors with degrees/affiliations; corresponding author email; funding; conflicts of interest for each author; and five MeSH keywords.
Abstract Provide a structured abstract (≤300 words) with Objective, Data Sources, Study Selection, Data Extraction, Data Synthesis, and Conclusions.
Key Points Submit two brief information boxes with three bullet points each: “Research in Context” and “What this Study Means” or “At the Bedside.”
Main Manuscript Headings Organize with sections suitable for systematic reviews (e.g., Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions), clearly describing search strategy and synthesis methods.
Reference Format Use numeric, sequential in‑text citations; abbreviate journal titles per MeSH; include inclusive page ranges.
Figures Upload figures (e.g., PRISMA flow diagram, forest plots) as separate TIF/EPS files (≥300 dpi; line art ≥1200 dpi); legends appear after references. A maximum of 5 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Tables Upload tables as separate Word files with titles; large evidence tables should be placed in supplemental content. A maximum of 5 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Additional Documents Include the PRISMA checklist, registration details (PROSPERO/OSF), data extraction forms (if applicable), a 280‑character summary, and permissions as needed.
Word Count A maximum of 3,000 words are permitted for this article type.
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Research Report

Cover Letter A cover letter is required and should briefly describe the study’s novelty and significance; include prior review history and preprint disclosures if relevant.
Title Page Provide title; author names, degrees, and affiliations; corresponding author email; funding; conflict disclosures; and five MeSH keywords.
Abstract Include a structured abstract of up to 300 words following a PCCM‑approved structure appropriate to the study design.
Main Manuscript Headings Use a concise IMRaD structure (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions) suitable for a brief report.
Reference Format Numeric, sequential citations in parentheses; abbreviate journal titles per MeSH and include page ranges.
Figures Upload up to two figures as separate TIF/EPS files (≥300 dpi; line art ≥1200 dpi); provide legends in the main file after references. A maximum of 2 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Tables Upload up to two tables as separate Word files with titles and headings; overflow content should go to supplemental materials. A maximum of 2 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Additional Documents Provide applicable reporting checklist(s), IRB/IACUC details, a 280‑character summary, and any required permissions.
Word Count A maximum of 1,500 words is permitted for this article type.
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Experimental work and/or Laboratory Investigation

Cover Letter A cover letter is required. Disclose any prior reviews, and provide context on significance and methodology; include preprint details if applicable.
Title Page Include title; full author list with degrees and affiliations; corresponding author email; funding; and conflict of interest declarations; plus five MeSH keywords.
Abstract Provide a structured abstract (≤300 words) with the headings: Objective, Design, Setting, Subjects, Interventions, Measurements and Main Results, and Conclusions.
Key Points Provide two information boxes with three bullet points each: a “Research in Context” box and a “What this Study Means” or “At the Bedside” box.
Main Manuscript Headings Use IMRaD headings: Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusions.
Reference Format Numeric, sequential citations in parentheses; journal titles italicized and abbreviated per MeSH; include inclusive page ranges. A maximum of 40 references are permitted for this article type.
Figures Figures must be uploaded separately (TIF/EPS, ≥300 dpi; line art ≥1200 dpi) with legends placed after references in the main file. A maximum of 5 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Tables Upload tables as separate Word files with titles and column headings; move oversized tables to supplemental content. A maximum of 5 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Additional Documents Provide ARRIVE checklist (as applicable), IACUC approval details, data and code access statements, a 280‑character summary, and permissions for reproduced/adapted materials.
Word Count A maximum of 3,000 words are permitted for this article type.
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Technical Note

Cover Letter A cover letter is required summarizing the technique’s purpose, innovation, and relevance to pediatric critical care.
Title Page Include title; authors with degrees/affiliations; corresponding author email; funding; conflicts; and five MeSH keywords.
Abstract Provide a structured abstract of no more than 300 words appropriate to the content.
Main Manuscript Headings Use a clear structure appropriate to a technical description, typically including Introduction, Methods/Technique, Results/Use Cases, and Discussion.
Reference Format Numeric, sequential referencing with MeSH‑style abbreviations for journal titles and inclusive page ranges. A maximum of 25 references is permitted for this article type.
Figures Upload figures separately as TIF/EPS (≥300 dpi; line art ≥1200 dpi); legends in the main file after references. A maximum of 2 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Tables Upload tables separately as Word files with titles and headings. A maximum of 2 figures/tables are permitted for this article type.
Additional Documents Include any relevant checklists, ethics/consent statements if applicable (e.g., patient images), a 280‑character summary, and permissions for reproduced content.
Word Count A maximum of 1,500 words are permitted for this article type.
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Recent Publications

Sooner or Later? Optimal Timing of Resident Rotations in the PICU

Jill E. O’Hara, Traci A. Wolbrink

10.1097/pcc.0000000000003931
View Publication

Heart Rate Variability Discriminates Outcomes After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest

Duncan B. Mackie, Craig M. Smith, L. Nelson Sanchez-Pinto, Colleen M. Badke

10.1097/pcc.0000000000003904
View Publication

Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial to Evaluate Not Routinely Measuring Gastric Residual Volume to Guide Enteral Feeding Versus Routine Measurement in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Children (GASTRIC-PICU)

Marzena Orzol, Irene Chang, Emma Laing, Mark J. Peters, Julia E. Edwards, Paloma Ferrando-Vivas, Julie Camsooksai, Jahara Khatun, Lamprini Lampro, Millie Parke, Hannah Sedgwick, Carly Au, David Harrison, Lynne Latten, Julie Menzies, Luise V. Marino, Katherine L. Brown, Nigel J. Hall, Kerry Woolfall, Zia Sadique, Lewis Veale, Luregn J. Schlapbach, Paul Mouncey, Frederic V. Valla, Lyvonne N. Tume

10.1097/pcc.0000000000003921
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Non-Emergent Neonatal ICU-to-PICU Transfers in the United States: Cross-Sectional Survey of Neonatologists and Pediatric Intensivists

Phillip D. Cohen, Renee D. Boss, Robin L. McKinney, Sapna R. Kudchadkar

10.1097/pcc.0000000000003920
View Publication

The authors reply:

Livia Procopiuc, Geoffrey Ewert Burnhill, Nandiran Ratnavel, Jon Lillie

10.1097/pcc.0000000000003924
View Publication

Frequently asked questions

Is Pediatric Critical Care Medicine open access?

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine is a hybrid journal, offering both traditional subscription-based publishing and open access options. Authors can choose to make their articles open access by paying an Article Processing Charge (APC).

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What is the impact factor of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine?

The 2024 Journal Impact Factor (JIF) for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine is 4.5. The impact factor is a measure of the frequency with which the average article in a journal has been cited in a particular year, and is often used as a proxy for the relative importance of a journal within its field.

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What is the time to publication for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine?

Initial editorial reviews are usually completed within four weeks of submission. For presubmission inquiries, the editor‑in‑chief typically responds within 48 hours.

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Does Pediatric Critical Care Medicine require a cover letter?

Yes. A cover letter is required for all submissions and should briefly explain the manuscript’s significance and fit for the journal. Authors are encouraged to disclose prior peer review history (including reviews and point‑by‑point responses, if available), note any preprint posting with a link, and include any special explanations requested in the guidelines (e.g., rationale for reporting a new predictive model).

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How much does it cost to publish in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine?

This is a hybrid journal. Authors may choose optional open access by paying an Article Processing Charge (APC) upon acceptance; pricing for PCCM is listed on Wolters Kluwer’s Hybrid Open Access Journals page. Under the open access option, authors retain copyright and the article is typically published under a CC BY‑NC‑ND license; a CC BY license is available for approved funders. Read‑and‑publish agreements with participating institutions may cover APCs for eligible corresponding authors. Color figure reproduction in the journal may incur additional charges. No page charges are specified.

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Research Topics

Respiratory Support and Mechanisms Cardiac Arrest and Resuscitation Sepsis Diagnosis and Treatment Neonatal Respiratory Health Research Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units Cardiac, Anesthesia and Surgical Outcomes Airway Management and Intubation Techniques Congenital Heart Disease Studies Hemodynamic Monitoring and Therapy Emergency and Acute Care Studies Traumatic Brain Injury and Neurovascular Disturbances Renal function and acid-base balance Infant Development and Preterm Care Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Studies Anesthesia and Sedative Agents Anesthesia and Neurotoxicity Research Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life Trauma and Emergency Care Studies Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues Nosocomial Infections in ICU Acute Kidney Injury Research Central Venous Catheters and Hemodialysis Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology