Designing and conducting a cluster-randomized trial of ICU admission for the elderly patients: the ICE-CUB 2 study

Functional Independence Measure score is associated with mortality in critically ill elderly patients admitted to an intermediate care unit

Background

Age alone is not a robust predictor of mortality in critically ill elderly patients. Chronic health status and functional status before admission could be better predictors. This study aimed to determine whether functional status, assessed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), could be an independent predictor of mortality in a geriatric population admitted to an intermediate care unit (IMCU).

Methods

A monocentric, retrospective, observational study of all patients aged ≥75 years old admitted to Geneva University Hospitals’ geriatric IMCU between 01.01.2012 and 31.05.2016. The study’s primary outcome metrics were one-year mortality’s associations with a pre-admission FIM score and other relevant prospectively recorded prognostic variables.

Results

A total of 345 patients were included (56% female, mean age 85 +/− 6.5 years). Mean FIM score was 66 +/− 26. One-year mortality was 57%. Dichotomized low (≤ 63) and high FIM (> 63) scores were associated with one-year mortalities of 68 and 44%, respectively. Logistic regression calculations found an association between pre-admission FIM score and one-year mortality (p <  0.0001), including variables usually associated with mortality (e.g., age, sex, comorbidities, mini-mental health state score, renal function). Multivariate survival analysis showed a significant difference between groups, with a hazard ratio of 0.29 (95% CI: 0.13–0.65) for patients with high FIM scores.

Conclusions

In the present study, higher functional status, assessed using the FIM tool before admission to an IMCU, was significantly and independently associated with lower one-year mortality. This opens up perspectives on the potential value of FIM for establishing a finer prognosis and better triage of critically ill older patients.

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.

Attitudes of physicians towards the care of critically ill elderly patients - a European survey

BACKGROUND

Very elderly patients are one of the fastest growing population in ICUs worldwide. There are lots of controversies regarding admission, discharge of critically ill elderly patients, and also on treatment intensity during the ICU stay. As a consequence, practices vary considerably from one ICU to another. In that perspective, we collected opinions of experienced ICU physicians across Europe on statements focusing on patients older than 80.

METHODS

We sent an online questionnaire to the coordinator ICU physician of all participating ICUs of an recent European, observational study of Very old critically Ill Patients (VIP1 study). This questionnaire contained 12 statements about admission, triage, treatment and discharge of patients older than 80.

RESULTS

We received answers from 162 ICUs (52% of VIP1-study) spanning 20 different European countries. There were major disagreements between ICUs. Responders disagree that: there is clear evidence that ICU admission is beneficial (37%); seeking relatives' opinion is mandatory (17%); written triage guidelines must be available either at the hospital or ICU level (20%); level of care should be reduced (25%); a consultation of a geriatrician should be sought (34%) and a geriatrician should be part of the post-ICU trail (11%). The percentage of disagreement varies between statements and European regions.

CONCLUSION

There are major differences in the attitude of European ICU physicians on the admission, triage and treatment policies of patients older than 80 emphasizing the lack of consensus and poor level of evidence for most of the statements and outlining the need for future interventional studies.