Long-Term Outcomes After ICU Admission Triage in Octogenarians:

The association of premorbid conditions with 6-month mortality in acutely admitted ICU patients over 80 years

BACKGROUND

Premorbid conditions influence the outcome of acutely ill adult patients aged 80 years and over who are admitted to the ICU. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of such premorbid conditions on 6 month survival.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study in 242 ICUs from 22 countries including patients 80 years or above, admitted over a 6 months period to an ICU between May 2018 and May 2019. Only emergency (acute) ICU admissions in adult patients ≥ 80 years of age were eligible. Patients who were admitted after planned/elective surgery were excluded. We measured the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), disability with the Katz activities of daily living (ADL) score, comorbidities and a Polypharmacy Score (CPS).

RESULTS

Overall, the VIP2 study included 3920 patients. During ICU stay 1191 patients died (30.9%), and another 436 patients (11.1%) died after ICU discharge but within the first 30 days of admission, and an additional 895 patients died hereafter but within the first 6 months after admission (22.8%). The 6 months mortality was 64%. The median CFS was 4 (IQR 3-6). Frailty (CFS ≥ 5) was present in 26.6%. Cognitive decline (IQCODE above 3.5) was found in 30.2%. The median IQCODE was 3.19. A Katz ADL of 4 or less was present in 27.7%. Patients who surviving > 6 months were slightly younger (median age survivors 84 with IQR 81-86) than patients dying within the first 6 months (median age 84, IQR 82-87, p = 0.013), were less frequently frail (CFS > 5 in 19% versus 34%, p < 0.01) and were less dependent based on their Katz activities of daily living measurement (median Katz score 6, IQR 5-6 versus 6 points, IQR 3-6, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

We found that Clinical Frailty Scale, age, and SOFA at admission were independent prognostic factors for 6 month mortality after ICU admission in patients age 80 and above. Adding other geriatric syndromes and scores did not improve the model. This information can be used in shared-decision making.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov: NCT03370692.

The trajectory of very old critically ill patients

The demographic shift, together with financial constraint, justify a re-evaluation of the trajectory of care of very old critically ill patients (VIP), defined as older than 80 years. We must avoid over- as well as under-utilisation of critical care interventions in this patient group and ensure the inclusion of health care professionals, the patient and their caregivers in the decision process. This new integrative approach mobilises expertise at each step of the process beginning prior to intensive care unit (ICU) admission and extending to long-term follow-up. In this review, several international experts have contributed to provide recommendations that can be universally applied. Our aim is to define a minimum core dataset of information to be shared and discussed prior to ICU admission and to facilitate the shared-decision-making process with the patient and their caregivers, throughout the patient journey. Documentation of uncertainty may contribute to a tailored level of care and ultimately to discussions around possible limitations of life sustaining treatments. The goal of ICU care is not only to avoid death, but more importantly to maintain an acceptable quality of life and functional autonomy after hospital discharge. Societal consideration is important to highlight, together with alternatives to ICU admission. We discuss challenges for the future and potential areas of research. In summary, this review provides a state-of-the-art current overview and aims to outline future directions to address the challenges in the treatment of VIP.

Triage of Critically Ill Patients: Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Refused as Too Well for Intensive Care

BACKGROUND

The appropriate selection of patients for the intensive care unit (ICU) is a concern in acute care settings. However, the description of patients deemed too well for the ICU has been rarely reported.

METHODS

We conducted a single-centre retrospective observational study of all patients either deemed "too well" for or admitted to the ICU during one year. Refused patients were screened for unexpected events within 7 days, defined as either ICU admission without another indication, or death without treatment limitations. Patients' characteristics and organisational factors were analysed according to refusal status, outcome and delay in ICU admission.

RESULTS

Among 2219 enrolled patients, the refusal rate was 10.4%. Refusal was associated with diagnostic groups, treatment limitations, patients' location on a ward, night time and ICU occupancy. Unexpected events occurred in 16 (6.9%) refused patients. A worse outcome was associated with time spent in hospital before refusal, patients' location on a ward, SOFA score and physician's expertise. Delayed ICU admissions were associated with ICU and hospital length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

ICU triage selected safely most patients who would have probably not benefited from the ICU. We identified individual and organisational factors associated with ICU refusal, subsequent ICU admission or death.

A Simple Nomogram for Predicting Hospital Mortality of Patients Over 80 Years in ICU: An International Multicenter Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to develop and validate an easy-to-use intensive care unit (ICU) illness scoring system to evaluate the in-hospital mortality for very old patients (VOPs, over 80 years old).

METHODS

We performed a multicenter retrospective study based on the electronic ICU (eICU) Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD), Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care Database (MIMIC-III CareVue and MIMIC-IV), and the Amsterdam University Medical Centers Database (AmsterdamUMCdb). Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression was applied to variables selection. The logistic regression algorithm was used to develop the risk score and a nomogram was further generated to explain the score.

RESULTS

We analyzed 23 704 VOPs, including 3 726 deaths (10 183 [13.5% mortality] from eICU-CRD [development set], 12 703 [17.2%] from the MIMIC, and 818 [20.8%] from the AmsterdamUMC [external validation sets]). Thirty-four variables were extracted on the first day of ICU admission, and 10 variables were finally chosen including Glasgow Coma Scale, shock index, respiratory rate, partial pressure of carbon dioxide, lactate, mechanical ventilation (yes vs no), oxygen saturation, Charlson Comorbidity Index, blood urea nitrogen, and urine output. The nomogram was developed based on the 10 variables (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: training of 0.792, testing of 0.788, MIMIC of 0.764, and AmsterdamUMC of 0.808 [external validating]), which consistently outperformed the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, acute physiology score III, and simplified acute physiology score II.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed and externally validated a nomogram for predicting mortality in VOPs based on 10 commonly measured variables on the first day of ICU admission. It could be a useful tool for clinicians to identify potentially high risks of VOPs.

The impact of age on intensive care

Caring for the elderly has always been challenging for the intensive care unit (ICU) physician. Concerns like frailty, comorbidities, polypharmacy and advanced directives come up even before admission into the unit. The COVID-19 pandemic has put forward a variety of issues concerning elderly populations, making the topic more relevant than ever. Admittance to the ICU, an unequivocally multifactorial decision, requires special consideration from the side of the physician when caring for an elderly person. Patients' wishes are to be respected and thus given priority. Triage assessment must also account for age-related physiological alterations and functional status. Once in the ICU, special attention should be given to age-related specificities, such as therapeutic interventions' controversial role, infection susceptibility, and post-operative care, that could potentially alter the course of hospitalization and affect outcomes. Following ICU discharge, ensuring proper rehabilitation for both survivors and their caregivers can improve long-term outcomes and subsequent quality of life. The pandemic and its implications may limit the standard of care for the elderly requiring ICU support. Socioeconomic factors that further perplex the situation must be addressed. Elderly patients currently represent a vast expanding population in ICU. Tailoring safe treatment plans to match patients' wishes, and personalized needs will guide critical care for the elderly from this time forward.

The complications of opioid use during and post-intensive care admission: A narrative review

Opioids are a commonly administered analgesic medication in the intensive care unit, primarily to facilitate invasive mechanical ventilation. Consensus guidelines advocate for an opioid-first strategy for the management of acute pain in ventilated patients. As a result, these patients are potentially exposed to high opioid doses for prolonged periods, increasing the risk of adverse effects. Adverse effects relevant to these critically ill patients include delirium, intensive care unit-acquired infections, acute opioid tolerance, iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome, opioid-induced hyperalgesia, persistent opioid use, and chronic post-intensive care unit pain. Consequently, there is a challenge of optimising analgesia while minimising these adverse effects. This narrative review will discuss the characteristics of opioid use in the intensive care unit, outline the potential short-term and long-term adverse effects of opioid therapy in critically ill patients, and outline a multifaceted strategy for opioid minimisation.

Prognosis of Very Elderly Patients after Intensive Care

Elderly patients (over age 85) are increasingly treated in Intensive Care Units (ICU), despite doctors’ reluctance to accept these frail patients. There are only few studies describing the relevance of treatments for this group of patients in ICU. One of these studies defined an age of 85 or over as the essential admittance criterion. Exclusion criteriwere low autonomy before admittance or an inability to answer the phone. Epidemiological data, history, lifestyle, and autonomy (ADL score of six items) were recorded during admission to the ICU and by phone interviews six months later. Eight French ICUs included 239 patients aged over 85. The most common diagnostics were non-cardiogenic lung disease (36%), severe sepsis/septic shock (29%), and acute pulmonary oedem (28%). Twenty-three percent of patients were dependent at the time of their admission. Seventy-one percent of patients were still alive when released from ICU, and 52% were still alive after 6 months. Among the patients which were non-dependent before hospitalization, 17% became dependent. The only prognostic criterifound were the SAPS II score on admission and the place of residence before admission (nursing home or family environment had poor prognosis). Although the prognosis of these elderly patients was good after hospitalization in ICU, it should be noted that the population was carefully selected as having few comorbidities or dependence. No triage critericould be suggested.

Treatment and outcomes among patients ≥85 years hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia

Our objective was to describe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) among patients ≥85 years and compare them to patients aged 65-74. This was a retrospective cohort study. The study setting included 638 hospitals in the USA participating in the Premier database from 2010 to 2015. The study participants were 488,382 adults aged ≥65 years hospitalized with CAP. Patients ≥85 years were more likely to be white (79.8% vs 76.2%), female (58.1% vs 48.3%), and admitted with aspiration pneumonia (17.1% vs 7.0%) as compared with those aged 65-75 years. They had higher rates of dementia (30.4% vs 7.8%), but lower rates of diabetes (11.2% vs 17.6%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (25.5% vs 54.7%). While Staphylococcus aureus (33.4%) was the most common pathogen across all age groups, patients aged ≥85 were more likely to have Escherichia coli pneumonia (16.1% vs 10.7%) compared with those aged 65-74. In adjusted models, patients aged ≥85 had greater in-hospital mortality (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.18), but were less likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.55) and receive mechanical ventilation (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.48). They also had lower rates of acute kidney injury (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.00) and Clostridium difficile infection (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.85 to 0.99), shorter lengths of stay (mean multiplier 0.93, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.93) and lower cost (mean multiplier 0.81, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.81), and were more likely to be discharged to a skilled nursing facility (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.15 to 2.24) or hospice (OR 2.19, 95% CI 2.11 to 2.27). In conclusion, patients aged ≥85 have different comorbidities and etiologies of CAP, receive less intense treatment, and have greater mortality than patients between 65 and 75 years.

Premorbid functional status as an outcome predictor in intensive care patients aged over 85 years

BACKGROUND

Poor premorbid functional status (PFS) is associated with mortality after intensive care unit (ICU) admission in patients aged 80 years or older. In the subgroup of very old ICU patients, the ability to recover from critical illness varies irrespective of age. To assess the predictive ability of PFS also among the patients aged 85 or older we set out the current study.

METHODS

In this nationwide observational registry study based on the Finnish Intensive Care Consortium database, we analysed data of patients aged 85 years or over treated in ICUs between May 2012 and December 2015. We defined PFS as good for patients who had been independent in activities of daily living (ADL) and able to climb stairs and as poor for those who were dependent on help or unable to climb stairs. To assess patients' functional outcome one year after ICU admission, we created a functional status score (FSS) based on how many out of five physical activities (getting out of bed, moving indoors, dressing, climbing stairs, and walking 400 m) the patient could manage. We also assessed the patients' ability to return to their previous type of accommodation.

RESULTS

Overall, 2037 (3.3% of all adult ICU patients) patients were 85 years old or older. The average age of the study population was 87 years. Data on PFS were available for 1446 (71.0%) patients (good for 48.8% and poor for 51.2%). The one-year mortalities of patients with good and those with poor PFS were 29.2% and 50.1%, respectively, p < 0.001. Poor PFS increased the probability of death within 12 months, adjusted odds ratio (OR), 2.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.68-2.76, p < 0.001. For 69.5% of survivors, the FSS one year after ICU admission was unchanged or higher than their premorbid FSS and 84.2% of patients living at home before ICU admission still lived at home.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor PFS doubled the odds of death within one year. For most survivors, functional status was comparable to the premorbid status.

Frailty and survival in elderly intensive care patients in Norway

BACKGROUND

Today, 10%-15% of Norwegian intensive care patients are ≥80 years. This proportion will increase significantly over the next 20 years, but it is unlikely that resources for intensive care increase correspondingly. Thus, it is important to establish which patients among elderly people will benefit from intensive care. The main objective of the study was to investigate the relationships between geriatric scoring tools and 30-day mortality.

METHODS

The study included 451 Norwegian patients ≥80 years who were included in two prospective European observation studies (VIP (very old intensive care patient)1 of VIP2). Both studies included clinical frailty scale (CFS) while VIP2 also obtained the geriatric scores, comorbidity and polypharmacy score (CPS), Short Form of Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), and Katz Activity of Daily Living score (Katz ADL).

RESULTS

Survival after 30 days was 59.9%. Risk factors for 30-day mortality were increasing Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score (odds ratio (OR) 1.30; confidence interval (CI) 95% 1.22-1.39) and (CFS) > 3 (CFS 4: OR 1.96 (CI 95% 1.01-3.81); CFS 5-9: OR 1.81 (CI) 95% 1.12-2.93)). Data from VIP2 showed that CFS was the only independent predictor of 30-day mortality when these scores were tested in multivariate analyses separately together with age, SOFA, and gender (OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.03-1.41)).

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly intensive care patients had a 30-day survival rate of 59.9%. Factors strongly associated with 30-day mortality were increasing SOFA score and increasing frailty (CFS). Other geriatric scores had no significant association with survival in multivariate analyses.

Prognostic factors associated with six month mortality of critically ill elderly patients admitted to the intensive care unit with severe acute cholangitis

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the outcomes of elderly patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with severe acute cholangitis (SAC). The objectives were to describe the 6-month mortality in patients with SAC ≥75 years and to identify factors associated with this mortality.

METHODS

Bi-center retrospective study of critically ill elderly patients with SAC conducted between 2013 and 2017. Demographic and clinical variables of ICU and hospital stays with a 6-month follow-up were analyzed.

RESULTS

85 patients, with a median [Q1-Q3] age of 83 [80-89] years were enrolled of whom 51 (60%) were men. SAC was due to choledocholithiasis in 72 (85%) patients. Median [Q1-Q3] ICU length of stay was 3 [2-6] days. Median [Q1-Q3] admission SAPS II was 50 [42-70]. The ICU and 6-month mortality rates were 18% and 48% respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that malnutrition (OR = 34.5, 95% CI [1.4-817.9]) and a decrease in SOFA score at 48 h (OR by unit 0.7, 95% CI [0.5-0.9]) were associated with higher 6-month mortality.

CONCLUSION

In their decision-making process, ICU physicians and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeons could use these data to estimate the probability of survival of an elderly patient presenting with SAC and to offer time-limited trials of intensive care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT03831529.

Impact of age in critically Ill infected patients: a post-hoc analysis of the INFAUCI study

PURPOSE

Older patients are the fastest expanding subgroup of intensive care units (ICU) and are particularly susceptible to bacterial infections and sepsis. The aim of this study was to address the epidemiology and the main determinants of outcome of infection in old and very old patients admitted to ICU.

METHODS

We performed a post hoc analysis of all infected patients admitted to ICU enrolled in a 1-year prospective, observational, multipurpose study. Patients aged < 65, 65-74 and ≥ 75 years were compared.

RESULTS

Of the 1652 patients included, 50% were older than 65 years. There were no significant differences between young, old and very old patients in either ICU, hospital length of stay, or nosocomial infection. All-cause mortality was significantly higher in participants aged ≥ 75. Increased Gram-negative microorganisms' isolates occurred in > 65 years (25% versus 31%; p = 0.034). Multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms were directly associated to inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy (OR 4.73; 95% CI 2.99-7.47) and inversely associated with community-acquired infection (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.19-0.83). Age (65-74 years: OR 1.10; 95% CI 0.64-1.90 and ≥ 75 years: OR 1.52; 95% CI 0.89-2.59) and sepsis severity (sepsis: OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.18-2.46; severe sepsis: OR 1.17; 95% CI 0.40-3.44; septic shock: OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.27-2.24) were not associated to MDR bacteria.

CONCLUSION

Patients > 65 years accounted for 50% of infected patients admitted to an ICU. ICU and hospital length of stay, and nosocomial infection did not increase with age. Age did predispose to increased risk for infection by Gram-negatives. These findings may optimize strategies for infection management in older patients.

The wave of very old people in the intensive care unit-A challenge in decision-making

In this paper the authors express the opinion that there is much to be learned about the 80+ year old age group as it relates to critical care and end-of-life matters. We need to learn how to better predict outcome, we need to learn our limitations and deal with uncertainties, we need to better communicate with our elderly patients and their caregivers and we need to engage with our colleagues in Geriatrics. There is a wave of very old people arriving in the intensive care unit and we have much to do to prepare for it and for the ethical, fair and appropriate care of these critically ill, but elderly, patients.

Elderly Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

Very old intensive care unit (ICU) patients, aged ≥ 80 years, are by no mean newcomers, but during the last decades their impact on ICU admissions has grown in parallel with the increase in the number of elderly persons in the community. Hence, from being a "rarity," they have now become common and constitute one of the largest subgroups within intensive care, and may easily be the largest group in 20 years and make up 30 to 40% of all ICU admissions. Obviously, they are not admitted because they are old but because they are with various diseases and problems like any other ICU patient. However, their age and the presence of common geriatric syndromes such as frailty, cognitive decline, reduced activity of daily life, and several comorbid conditions makes this group particularly challenging, with a high mortality rate. In this review, we will highlight aspects of current and future epidemiology and current knowledge on outcomes, and describe the effects of the aforementioned geriatric syndromes. The major challenge for the coming decades will be the question of whom to treat and the quest for better triage criteria not based on age alone. Challenges with the level of care during the ICU stay will also be discussed. A stronger relationship with geriatricians should be promoted to create a better and more holistic care and aftercare for survivors.

Long-term mortality in very old patients with cancer admitted to intensive care unit: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Long-term outcomes of older patients referred to intensive care unit (ICU) are of paramount importance for care planning and counseling of patients and relatives.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study with patients aged ≥80 years admitted to ICU from 2011 to 2017 in a cancer center. We performed two Cox proportional hazard regressions. In the first, we tested whether type of cancer (solid locoregional, solid metastatic or hematologic), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS), and comorbidities [Charlson Comorbidity Index - CCI]) were associated with one-year mortality in all patients. In the second, we assessed whether delirium, use of vasopressors, mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, and forgoing life-sustaining therapies were associated with one-year mortality in survivors to hospital discharge.

RESULTS

Of 763 patients included, 482 (62.3%) patients died at one year. Metastatic cancer was significantly associated with one-year mortality (HR = 1.97; CI 95%, 1.16-3.36), but hematologic cancer, CCI and ECOG PS were not. Among patients who survived to hospital discharge, delirium, use of vasopressors, mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy and decisions to forgo life-sustaining therapies in ICU were not associated with one-year mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Metastatic disease at ICU admission was associated with one-year mortality in patients aged ≥80 years. Delirium, use of vasopressors, mechanical ventilation and renal replacement therapy and decisions to forgo life-sustaining therapies in ICU were not associated with one-year mortality among the patients discharged from hospital.

Demographic Shifts, Case Mix, Activity, and Outcome for Elderly Patients Admitted to Adult General ICUs in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland

OBJECTIVES

Major increases in the proportion of elderly people in the population are predicted worldwide. These population increases, along with improving therapeutic options and more aggressive treatment of elderly patients, will have major impact on the future need for healthcare resources, including critical care. Our objectives were to explore the trends in admissions, resource use, and risk-adjusted hospital mortality for older patients, admitted over a 20-year period between 1997 and 2016 to adult general ICUs in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

DESIGN

RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL CLINICAL AUDIT DATABASE.

SETTING

The Intensive Care National Audit & Research Centre Case Mix Programme Database, the national clinical audit for adult general ICUs in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

PATIENTS

All adult patients 16 years old or older admitted to adult general ICUs contributing data to the Case Mix Programme Database between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2016.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

The annual number, trends, and outcomes for patients across four age bands (16-64, 65-74, 75-84, and 85+ yr) admitted to ICUs contributing to the Case Mix Programme Database from 1997 to 2016 were examined. Case mix, activity, and outcome were described in detail for the most recent cohort of patients admitted in 2015-2016. Between 1997 to 2016, the annual number of admissions to ICU of patients in the older age bands increased disproportionately, with increases that could not be explained solely by general U.K. demographic shifts. The risk-adjusted acute hospital mortality decreased significantly within each age band over the 20-year period of the study. Although acute severity at ICU admission was comparable with that of the younger age group, apart from cardiovascular and renal dysfunction, older patients received less organ support. Older patients stayed longer in hospital post-ICU discharge, and hospital mortality increased with age, but the majority of patients surviving to hospital discharge returned home.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the past two decades, elderly patients have been more commonly admitted to ICU than can be explained solely by the demographic shift. Importantly, as with the wider population, outcomes in elderly patients admitted to ICU are improving over time, with most patients returning home.

Community-acquired pneumonia in critically ill very old patients: a growing problem

Very old (aged ≥80 years) adults constitute an increasing proportion of the global population. Currently, this subgroup of patients represents an important percentage of patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) frequently affects very old adults. However, there are no specific recommendations for the management of critically ill very old CAP patients. Multiple morbidities, polypharmacy, immunosenescence and frailty contribute to an increased risk of pneumonia in this population. CAP in critically ill very old patients is associated with higher short- and long-term mortality; however, because of its uncommon presentation, diagnosis can be very difficult. Management of critically ill very old CAP patients should be guided by their baseline characteristics, clinical presentation and risk factors for multidrug-resistant pathogens. Hospitalisation in intermediate care may be a good option for critical ill very old CAP patients who do not require invasive procedures and for whom intensive care is questionable in terms of benefit.

There is currently no international recommendation for the management of critically ill older patients over 80 years of age with CAP. We report and discuss recent literature in order to help physicians in the decision-making process of these patients.http://bit.ly/2ql0mIz

Supporting the Geriatric Critical Care Patient: Decision Making, Understanding Outcomes, and the Role of Palliative Care

Geriatric admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) are common and require unique considerations for ICU clinicians. Admission to the ICU should be considered on an individual-patient basis. It is reasonable to consider a "trial of critical care" for many patients, even those who have uncertain chances of meaningful recovery. Quality of life and functional independence are especially important to older adults, and these outcomes should be considered when weighing the risks and benefits of admission or continuing ICU care.

Acute critically ill elderly patients: What about long term caregiver burden?

PURPOSE

Acute critical illness induce a high caregivers burden in the young population, however data in the older population are lacking. The objectives of this study were to evaluate caregiver burden in a critically ill old population and to assess factors associated with mild to severe burden level.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients from two participating centers of the ICE-CUB 2 trial were included in the study. Inclusion criteria were an age ≥75, at least one critical condition and preserved functional status. The primary endpoint was a Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) ≥ 21 at 6 months.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety-one patients (median age 86 [81-89] years) were included. Median caregiver ZBI at 6 months was 13 [5-27]. In the multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with moderate to severe burden were the 6-month ADL decrease (OR: 1.3, p = .049) and the 6-month mental component of the quality of life score (OR: 0.94, p = .0009). In contrast, age, ICU admission and length of hospital stay were not associated with moderate to severe load.

CONCLUSION

In our study, functional status and mental health at 6 months were associated with mild to severe burden unlike age and admission in ICU.

The Critical Care Society of Southern Africa Consensus Statement on ICU Triage and Rationing (ConICTri)

Background

In South Africa (SA), intensive care is faced with the challenge of resource scarcity as well as an increasing demand for intensive care unit (ICU) services. ICU services are expensive, and practitioners in low- to middle-income countries experience daily the consequences of limited resources. Critically limited resources necessitate that rationing and triage (prioritisation) decisions are frequently necessary in SA, particularly in the publicly funded health sector.

Purpose

The purpose of this consensus statement is to examine key questions that arise when considering the status of ICU resources in SA, and more specifically ICU admission, rationing and triage decisions. The accompanying guideline in this issue is intended to guide frontline triage policy and ensure the best utilisation of intensive care in SA, while maintaining a fair distribution of available resources. Fair and efficient triage is important to ensure the ongoing provision of high-quality care to adult patients referred for intensive care.

Recommendations

In response to 14 key questions developed using a modified Delphi technique, 29 recommendations were formulated and graded using an adapted GRADE score. The 14 key questions addressed the status of the provision of ICU services in SA, the degree of resource restriction, the efficiency of resource management, the need for triage, and how triage could be most justly implemented. Important recommendations included the need to formally recognise and accurately quantify the provision of ICU services in SA by national audit; actively seek additional resources from governmental bodies; consider methods to maximise the efficiency of ICU care; evaluate lower level of care alternatives; develop a triage guideline to assist policy-makers and frontline practitioners to implement triage decisions in an efficient and fair way; measure and audit the consequence of triage; and promote research to improve the accuracy and consistency of triage decisions. The consensus document and guideline should be reviewed and revised appropriately within 5 years.

Conclusion

In recognition of the absolute need to limit patient access to ICU because of the lack of sufficient intensive care resources in public hospitals, recommendations and a guideline have been developed to guide policy-making and assist frontline triage decision-making in SA. These documents are not a complete plan for quality practice but rather the beginning of a long-term initiative to engage clinicians, the public and administrators in appropriate triage decision-making, and promote systems that will ultimately maximise the efficient and fair use of available ICU resources.

Is antibacterial treatment intensity lower in elderly patients? A retrospective cohort study in a German surgical intensive care unit

Background

Demographic change concurrent with medical progress leads to an increasing number of elderly patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Antibacterial treatment is an important, often life-saving, aspect of intensive care but burdened by the associated antimicrobial resistance risk. Elderly patients are simultaneously at greater risk of infections and may be more restrictively treated because, generally, treatment intensity declines with age. We therefore described utilization of antibacterials in ICU patients older and younger than 80 years and examined differences in the intensity of antibacterial therapy between both groups.

Methods

We analysed 17,464 valid admissions from the electronic patient data management system of our surgical ICU from April 2006 – October 2013. Antibacterial treatment rates were defined as days of treatment (exposed patient days) relative to patient days of ICU stay and calculated for old and young patients. Rates were compared in zero-inflated Poisson regression models adjusted for patients’ sex, mean SAPS II- and TISS-scores, and calendar years yielding adjusted rate ratios (aRRs). Rate ratios exceeding 1 represent higher rates in old patients reflecting greater treatment intensity in old compared to younger patients.

Results

Observed antibacterial treatment rates were lower in patients 80 years and older compared to younger patients (30.97 and 39.73 exposed patient days per 100 patient days in the ICU, respectively). No difference in treatment intensity, however, was found from zero-inflated Poisson regression models permitting more adequate consideration of patient days with low treatment probability: for all antibacterials the adjusted rate ratio (aRR) was 1.02 (95%CI: 0.98–1.07). Treatment intensities were higher in elderly patients for penicillins (aRR 1.37 (95%CI: 1.26–1.48)), cephalosporins (aRR 1.20 (95%CI: 1.09–1.31)), carbapenems (aRR 1.35 (95%CI: 1.20–1.50)), fluoroquinolones (aRR 1.17 (95%CI: 1.05–1.30), and imidazoles (aRR 1.34 (95%CI: 1.23–1.46)).

Conclusions

Elderly patients were generally less likely to be treated with antibacterials. This observation, however, did not persist in patients with comparable treatment probability. In these, antibacterial treatment intensity did not differ between younger and older ICU patients, for some antibacterial classes treatment intensity was even higher in the latter. Patient-level covariates are instrumental for a nuanced evaluation of age-effects in antibacterial treatment in the ICU.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4204-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association of Age With Short-term and Long-term Mortality Among Patients Discharged From Intensive Care Units in France

IMPORTANCE

An aging population is increasing the need for intensive care unit (ICU) beds. The benefit of ICU admission for elderly patients remains a subject of debate; however, long-term outcomes across all adult age strata are unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To describe short-term and long-term mortality (up to 3 years after discharge) across age strata in adult patients admitted to French ICUs.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Using data extracted from the French national health system database, this cohort study determined in-hospital mortality and mortality at 3 months and 3 years after discharge of adult patients (older than 18 years) admitted to French ICUs from January 1 to December 31, 2013, focusing on age strata. The dates of analysis were November 2017 to December 2018.

EXPOSURE

Intensive care unit admission.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

In-hospital mortality and mortality at 3 months and 3 years after hospital discharge.

RESULTS

The study included 133 966 patients (median age, 65 years [interquartile range, 53-76 years); 59.9% male). Total in-hospital mortality was 19.0%, and 3-year mortality was 39.7%. For the 108 539 patients discharged alive from the hospital, 6.8% died by 3 months, and 25.8% died by 3 years after hospital discharge. After adjustment for sex, comorbidities, reason for hospitalization, and organ support (invasive ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, vasopressors, inotropes, fluid resuscitation, blood products administration, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, renal replacement therapy, and mechanical circulatory support), risk of mortality increased progressively across all age strata but with a sharp increase in those 80 years and older. In-hospital and 3-year postdischarge mortality rates, respectively, were 30.5% and 44.9% in patients 80 years and older compared with 16.5% and 22.5% in those younger than 80 years. Total 3-year mortality was 61.4% among patients 80 years and older vs 35.1% in those younger than 80. After age and sex standardization, excess mortality was highest among young patients during their first year after hospital discharge and persisted into the second and third years. In contrast, the mortality risk was close to the general population risk among elderly patients (≥80 years). Age and reason for hospitalization were strongly associated with long-term mortality (9-, 13-, and 20-fold increase in the risk of death 3 years after ICU discharge in patients aged 80-84, 85-89, and ≥90 years, respectively, compared with patients aged <35 years), while organ support use during ICU showed a weaker association (all organ support had 1.3-fold or lower increase in the risk of death).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Results of this study suggest that aging was associated with an increased risk of mortality in the 3 years after hospital discharge that included an ICU admission, with a sharp increase in those 80 years and older. However, compared with the general population matched by age and sex, excess long-term mortality was high in young surviving patients but not in elderly patients.

Medical resource utilization patterns and mortality rates according to age among critically ill patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit

There is ongoing controversy about how to address the growing demand for intensive care for critically ill elderly patients. We investigated resource utilization patterns and mortality rates according to age among critically ill patients.We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients admitted to a medical intensive care unit (ICU) in a tertiary referral teaching hospital between July 2006 and June 2015. Patients were categorized into non-elderly (age <65 years, n = 4140), young-elderly (age 65-74 years, n = 2306), and old-elderly (age ≥75 years, n = 1508) groups.Among 7954 admissions, the mean age was 61.5 years, and 5061 (63.6%) were of male patients. The proportion of comorbidities increased with age (64.6% in the non-elderly vs 81.4% in the young-elderly vs 82.8% in the old-elderly, P < .001 and P for trend <.001), whereas the baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score decreased with age (8.1 in the non-elderly vs 7.2 in the young-elderly vs 7.2 in the old-elderly, P < .001, R = -.092 and P for trend <.001). Utilization rates of mechanical ventilation (48.6% in the non-elderly vs 48.3% in the young-elderly vs 45.5% in the old-elderly, P = .11) and renal replacement therapy (27.5% in the non-elderly vs 25.5% in the young-elderly vs 24.8% in the old-elderly, P = .069) were comparable between the age groups. The 28-day ICU mortality rates were lower in the young-elderly and the old-elderly groups than in the non-elderly group (35.6% in the non-elderly vs 34.2% in the young-elderly, P = .011; and vs 32.6% in the old-elderly, P = .002).A substantial number of critically ill elderly patients used medical resources as non-elderly patients and showed favorable clinical outcomes. Our results support that underlying medical conditions rather than age per se need to be considered for determining intensive care.

Caring for the critically ill patients over 80: a narrative review

Background

There is currently no international recommendation for the admission or treatment of the critically ill older patients over 80 years of age in the intensive care unit (ICU), and there is no valid prognostic severity score that includes specific geriatric assessments.

Main body

In this review, we report recent literature focusing on older critically ill patients in order to help physicians in the multiple-step decision-making process. It is unclear under what conditions older patients may benefit from ICU admission. Consequently, there is a wide variation in triage practices, treatment intensity levels, end-of-life practices, discharge practices and frequency of geriatrician’s involvement among institutions and clinicians. In this review, we discuss important steps in caring for critically ill older patients, from the triage to long-term outcome, with a focus on specific conditions in the very old patients.

Conclusion

According to previous considerations, we provide an algorithm presented as a guide to aid in the decision-making process for the caring of the critically ill older patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13613-018-0458-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Post-intensive care outpatient clinic: is it feasible and effective? A literature review

The follow-up of patients who are discharged from intensive care units follows distinct flows in different parts of the world. Outpatient clinics or post-intensive care clinics represent one of the forms of follow-up, with more than 20 years of experience in some countries. Qualitative studies that followed up patients in these outpatient clinics suggest more encouraging results than quantitative studies, demonstrating improvements in intermediate outcomes, such as patient and family satisfaction. More important results, such as mortality and improvement in the quality of life of patients and their families, have not yet been demonstrated. In addition, which patients should be indicated for these outpatient clinics? How long should they be followed up? Can we expect an improvement of clinical outcomes in these followed-up patients? Are outpatient clinics cost-effective? These are only some of the questions that arise from this form of follow-up of the survivors of intensive care units. This article aims to review all aspects relating to the organization and performance of post-intensive care outpatient clinics and to provide an overview of studies that evaluated clinical outcomes related to this practice.

Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) reliably stratifies octogenarians in German ICUs: a multicentre prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

In intensive care units (ICU) octogenarians become a routine patients group with aggravated therapeutic and diagnostic decision-making. Due to increased mortality and a reduced quality of life in this high-risk population, medical decision-making a fortiori requires an optimum of risk stratification. Recently, the VIP-1 trial prospectively observed that the clinical frailty scale (CFS) performed well in ICU patients in overall-survival and short-term outcome prediction. However, it is known that healthcare systems differ in the 21 countries contributing to the VIP-1 trial. Hence, our main focus was to investigate whether the CFS is usable for risk stratification in octogenarians admitted to diversified and high tech German ICUs.

METHODS

This multicentre prospective cohort study analyses very old patients admitted to 20 German ICUs as a sub-analysis of the VIP-1 trial. Three hundred and eight patients of 80 years of age or older admitted consecutively to participating ICUs. CFS, cause of admission, APACHE II, SAPS II and SOFA scores, use of ICU resources and ICU- and 30-day mortality were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with 30-day mortality.

RESULTS

Patients had a median age of 84 [IQR 82-87] years and a mean CFS of 4.75 (± 1.6 standard-deviation) points. More than half of the patients (53.6%) were classified as frail (CFS ≥ 5). ICU-mortality was 17.3% and 30-day mortality was 31.2%. The cause of admission (planned vs. unplanned), (OR 5.74) and the CFS (OR 1.44 per point increase) were independent predictors of 30-day survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The CFS is an easy determinable valuable tool for prediction of 30-day ICU survival in octogenarians, thus, it may facilitate decision-making for intensive care givers in Germany.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The VIP-1 study was retrospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03134807 ) on May 1, 2017.

Are we ever too old?: Characteristics and outcome of octogenarians admitted to a medical intensive care unit

The aging population increases the demand of intensive care unit (ICU) treatments. However, the availability of ICU beds is limited. Thus, ICU admission of octogenarians is considered controversial. The population above 80 years is a very heterogeneous group though, and age alone might not be the best predictor. Aim of this study was to analyze resource consumption and outcome of octogenarians admitted to a medical ICU to identify reliable survival predictors in a senescent society.This retrospective observational study analyzes 930 octogenarians and 5732 younger patients admitted to a medical ICU. Admission diagnosis, APACHE II and SAPS II scores, use of ICU resources, and mortality were recorded. Long-term mortality was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariate cox regression analysis.Patients ≥80 years old had higher SAPS II (43 vs 38, P < .001) and APACHE II (23 vs 21, P = .001) scores. Consumption of ICU resources by octogenarians was lower in terms of length of stay, mechanical ventilation, and renal replacement therapy. Among octogenarians, ICU survivors got less mechanical ventilation or renal replacement therapy than nonsurvivors. Intra-ICU mortality in the very old was higher (19% vs 12%, P < .001) and long-term survival was lower (HR 1.76, P < .001). Multivariate cox regression analysis of octogenarians revealed that admission diagnosis of myocardial infarction (HR 1.713, P = .023), age (1.08, P = .002), and SAPS II score (HR 1.02, 95%, P = .01) were independent risk factors, whereas admission diagnoses monitoring post coronary intervention (HR .253, P = .002) and cardiac arrhythmia (HR .534, P = .032) had a substantially reduced mortality risk.Octogenarians show a higher intra-ICU and long-term mortality than younger patients. Still, they show a considerable life expectancy after ICU admission even though they get less invasive care than younger patients. Furthermore, some admission diagnoses like myocardial infarction, cardiac arrhythmia and monitoring post cardiac intervention are much stronger predictors for long-term survival than age or SAPS II score in the very old.

Costs and expected gain in lifetime health from intensive care versus general ward care of 30,712 individual patients: a distribution-weighted cost-effectiveness analysis

BACKGROUND

Clinicians, hospital managers, policy makers, and researchers are concerned about high costs, increased demand, and variation in priorities in the intensive care unit (ICU). The objectives of this modelling study are to describe the extra costs and expected health gains associated with admission to the ICU versus the general ward for 30,712 patients and the variation in cost-effectiveness estimates among subgroups and individuals, and to perform a distribution-weighted economic evaluation incorporating extra weighting to patients with high severity of disease.

METHODS

We used a decision-analytic model that estimates the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained (ICER) from ICU admission compared with general ward care using Norwegian registry data from 2008 to 2010. We assigned increasing weights to health gains for those with higher severity of disease, defined as less expected lifetime health if not admitted. The study has inherent uncertainty of findings because a randomized clinical trial comparing patients admitted or rejected to the ICU has never been performed. Uncertainty is explored in probabilistic sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

The mean cost-effectiveness of ICU admission versus ward care was €11,600/QALY, with 1.6 QALYs gained and an incremental cost of €18,700 per patient. The probability (p) of cost-effectiveness was 95% at a threshold of €22,000/QALY. The mean ICER for medical admissions was €10,700/QALY (p = 97%), €12,300/QALY (p = 93%) for admissions after acute surgery, and €14,700/QALY (p = 84%) after planned surgery. For individualized ICERs, there was a 50% probability that ICU admission was cost-effective for 85% of the patients at a threshold of €64,000/QALY, leaving 15% of the admissions not cost-effective. In the distributional evaluation, 8% of all patients had distribution-weighted ICERs (higher weights to gains for more severe conditions) above €64,000/QALY. High-severity admissions gained the most, and were more cost-effective.

CONCLUSIONS

On average, ICU admission versus general ward care was cost-effective at a threshold of €22,000/QALY (p = 95%). According to the individualized cost-effectiveness information, one in six ICU admissions was not cost-effective at a threshold of €64,000/QALY. Almost half of these admissions that were not cost-effective can be regarded as acceptable when weighted by severity of disease in terms of expected lifetime health. Overall, existing ICU services represent reasonable resource use, but considerable uncertainty becomes evident when disaggregating into individualized results.

Sepsis and Immunosenescence in the Elderly Patient: A Review

Sepsis is a prevalent, serious medical condition with substantial mortality and a significant consumption of health-care resources. Its incidence has increased around 9% annually in general population over the last years and specially in aged patients group. Several risk factors such as comorbidities, preadmission status, malnutrition, frailty, and an impared function in the immune system called immunosenescence are involved in the higher predisposition to sepsis in the elderly patients. Immunosenescence status consists in a functional impairment in both cell-mediated immunity and humoral immune responses and increases not only the risk for develop sepsis but also lead to more severe presentation of infection and may be is also related with a higher mortality. There is a also a concern about to admit patients in the intensive care units taking into account that the outcome of elderly patients is poorer compared to younger people. Nevertheless, the management of septic elderly patients does not differ substantially from younger people. In addition, the quality of life in septic elderly survivors is also lower than in younger people. But age, as alone factor, should not be used to determine treatment options because the poorer outcomes is thought to be due to the increased comorbidities and frailty in this group of patients.