Retrospective evaluation of hospitalizations in our intensive care units resulting in death in one year period

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to investigate the demographic characteristics, mortality reasons and the factors that affect the mortality of the patients in general intensive care units. METHODS: In this study, 510 patients who were followed-up in our Intensive Care Units for one year and died were grouped according to age groups as Age≤18, 18<Age≤35, 35<Age≤50, 50<Age≤65, 65<Age≤80 and 80<Age.We evaluated age, gender, comorbidities, causes of admission to the intensive care and death, duration of hospitalization and mechanical ventilation, unit of arrival, feeding type, inotropic, re-intubation and tracheostomy requirements, history of CPR, APACHE-II and first 24 hours-GCS scores, presence of brain death and organ donor. RESULTS: The group with the most patients was 65<Age≤80 and this group had the most hospitalization and mechanical ventilation duration.Most of the cases who were mortal were male and the most common cause for admission to the intensive care unit and death was the malignancy.It was determined that most of the patients were admitted to the intensive care unit from the emergency and intubated and the most common history of CPR was in the emergency patients.The lowest APACHE-II score was found in the postoperative follow-up-elective group and the highest score was found in the trauma group according to admission reasons. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In our intensive care units where there are limited and inadequate number of beds, we think that the regulation of new approach protocols, re-determination of patient acceptance criteria, establishment of new units for end-stage care and oncologic patients may be useful in reducing mortality.

Keywords

• intensive care units
• mortality
• risk factors