CNS Oncology (Sep 2021)

Primary brain tumor patients admitted to a US intensive care unit: a descriptive analysis

  • Jennifer H Kang,
  • Christa B Swisher,
  • Evan D Buckley,
  • James E Herndon,
  • Eric S Lipp,
  • John P Kirkpatrick,
  • Annick Desjardins,
  • Henry S Friedman,
  • Margaret O Johnson,
  • Dina M Randazzo,
  • David M Ashley,
  • Katherine B Peters

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2217/cns-2021-0009
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 3

Abstract

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Purpose: To describe our population of primary brain tumor (PBT) patients, a subgroup of cancer patients whose intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes are understudied. Methods: Retrospective analysis of PBT patients admitted to an ICU between 2013 to 2018 for an unplanned need. Using descriptive analyses, we characterized our population and their outcomes. Results: Fifty-nine PBT patients were analyzed. ICU mortality was 19% (11/59). The most common indication for admission was seizures (n = 16, 27%). Conclusion: Our ICU mortality of PBT patients was comparable to other solid tumor patients and the general ICU population and better than patients with hematological malignancies. Further study of a larger population would inform guidelines for triaging PBT patients who would most benefit from ICU-level care.

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