[Outcome of the critical patient according to the sex and the age]

Sex differences in crude mortality rates and predictive value of intensive care unit-based scores when applied to the cardiac intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

Limited data exists regarding sex differences in outcome and predictive accuracy of intensive care unit-based scoring systems when applied to cardiac intensive care unit patients.

METHODS

We reviewed medical records of patients admitted to cardiac intensive care unit from 1 January 2011-31 December 2016. Sex differences in mortality rates and the performance of intensive care unit-based scoring systems in predicting in-hospital mortality were analyzed. Calibration was assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and locally weighted scatterplot smoothing curves. Discrimination was assessed using the c statistic and receiver-operating characteristic curve.

RESULTS

Among 6963 patients, 2713 (39%) were women. Overall in-hospital and cardiac intensive care unit mortality rates were similar in women and men (9.1% vs 9.4%, p=0.67 and 5.9% vs 6%, p=0.88, respectively) and in age and major diagnosis subgroups. Of the scoring systems, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation III and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment had poor calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow p value <0.001), while Simplified Acute Physiology Score II performed better (Hosmer-Lemeshow p value 0.09), in both women and men. All scores had good discrimination (C statistics >0.8). In the subgroups of acute myocardial infarction and heart failure patients, all scores had good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow p>0.001) and discrimination (C statistic >0.8) while in diagnosis subgroups with highest mortality, the calibration varied among scores and by sex, and discrimination was poor.

CONCLUSIONS

No sex differences in mortality were seen in cardiac intensive care unit patients. The mortality predictive value of intensive care unit-based scores is limited in both sexes and variable among different subgroups of diagnoses.

Influence of age in the duration of the stay and mortality of patients who remain in an Intensive Care Unit for a prolonged time

BACKGROUNDS AND OBJECTIVE

The true role of the age in the prognosis of patients admitted in the ICU is not known. This work analyzes the influence of age on the duration of the stay and mortality of patients who remain in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a long period of time.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

A retrospective, observational study was performed with patients hospitalized ≥14 days in the ICU. Three age groups were established: <50, 50-70 and >70 years. The influence of different factors on the relationship existing between stay and age was studied. In addition, stay and survival in the ICU, hospital and at one year were analyzed based on the groups.

RESULTS

A total of 707 patients were included. Significant differences in hospital stay (P=.183) were not found among the three groups. The older group, which showed greater severity on admission, was the group undergoing the most tracheostomies (74.7%) and extrarenal purification (HDF) (10.8%). When the influence of factors such as APACHE II, pre-ICU stay, origin, tracheostomy or hemodiafiltration (HDF) were analyzed, no relation was found between stay and age of patient. Survival decreased as age increased.

CONCLUSIONS

No differences were found in stay based on age, although a difference was found in mortality.

[Seasonal influence in characteristics of patients admitted to an intensive care unit]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate seasonal variability in the epidemiology and the outcome of critical illness.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data during the period 2001-2008.

SETTING

Polyvalent intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary hospital in the Canary Islands.

PATIENTS

Adult patients who were hospitalized in the ICU from the Emergency Department, according to the season period (spring, summer, autumn and winter).

PRIMARY VARIABLES OF INTEREST

Demographic data, clinical diagnosis on ICU admission, APACHE II, need of mechanical ventilation and, finally, the mortality were collected.

RESULTS

During the study period, 3,115 patients, coming from the Emergency Department, were hospitalized in our ICU. Of these, 21% were admitted during the summer, an incidence rate that is statistically lower than in other seasons of the year (P<0.001). We did not find any statistically significant differences between the four groups according to the age, type of patients, severity at the moment of admission to the ICU, according to the APACHE II score or in the mortality rate in the ICU. However, significant differences were found in regards to gender. Admission of women during the summer was higher than in winter (33% vs 27%, P=0.037). Average stay in the ICU of patients admitted in the summer was similar to winter (4.9 days vs 5.8 days; P=0.052). Need for mechanical ventilation and days it was required, by diagnostic groups, were similar between the summer and the winter. The multivariate analysis did not show independent variables associated with the seasonal period in which the patients were admitted.

CONCLUSIONS

The stability of our climate implies that this factor does not influence the prognosis of patients who are admitted with critical illness.