Table 1.
Main characteristics of survivors and nonsurvivors
| Variables | Non survivors N = 83 |
Survivors N = 23 |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age in years, mean ± SD (range) | 84 ± 3 (80 to 93) | 84 ± 3 (80 to 92) | 0.99 |
| Males, n (%) | 41 (49.4) | 17 (73.9) | 0.03 |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 25.6 ± 5 | 24.1 ± 4 | 0.19 |
| McCabe classification, n (%) | 0.042 | ||
| Underlying disease: none or nonfatal | 32 (38.6) | 14 (60.9) | |
| Underlying disease expected to cause death within five years | 36 (43.4) | 9 (39.1) | |
| Underlying disease expected to cause death within one year | 15 (18.1) | 0 | |
| Underlying diseases according to Knaus, n (%) | |||
| At least one co-morbid condition | 38 (45.8) | 7 (30.4) | 0.18 |
| Hepatic | 1 (1.2) | 0 | |
| Cardiovascular | 27 (32.5) | 4 (17.4) | 0.15 |
| Pulmonary | 19 (22.9) | 3 (13) | 0.30 |
| Renal | 9 (10.8) | 1 (4.3) | 0.34 |
| Immunosuppression | 3 (3.6) | 1 (4.3) | 0.87 |
| Patient location before ICU admission, n (%) | |||
| Transfer from ward | 54 (65.1) | 14 (60.9) | 0.71 |
| Pre-ICU hospital stay, median (IQR) |
2 (0 - 6) | 1 (0 - 5) | 0.57 |
| Emergency room/home, n (%) | 29 (34.9) | 9 (39.1) | 0.71 |
| Admission category, n (%) | 0.27 | ||
| Medicine | 55 (66.3) | 14 (60.9) | |
| Unscheduled surgery | 14 (16.9) | 7 (30.4) | |
| Scheduled surgery | 14 (16.9) | 2 (8.7) | |
| Main symptom at admission, n (%) | |||
| Septic shock and multiple organ failure | 16 (19.3) | 8 (34.8) | 0.11 |
| Other shock | 11 (13.3) | 3 (13) | 0.97 |
| Acute respiratory failure | 19 (22.9) | 4 (17.4) | 0.57 |
| Acute COPD exacerbation | 9 (10.8) | 1 (4.3) | 0.34 |
| Acute renal failure | 11 (13.3) | 1 (4.3) | 0.23 |
| Coma | 6 (7.2) | 3 (13) | 0.37 |
| Monitoring | 11 (13.3) | 3 (13) | 0.97 |
| Severity of illness at admission, Mean ± SD | |||
| SAPS II | 47 ± 19.2 | 38.1 ± 12.7 | 0.047 |
| LOD | 5.7 ± 3.7 | 4.3 ± 2.5 | 0.10 |
| SOFA | 6.6 ± 3 | 5.7 ± 3 | 0.11 |
| Intensity of care, n (%) | |||
| Endotracheal mechanical ventilation | 49 (59) | 14 (60.9) | 0.87 |
| Epinephrine/Norepinephrine | 38 (45.8) | 10 (43.5) | 0.84 |
| Dobutamine | 22 (26.5) | 3 (13) | 0.17 |
| Dialysis | 19 (22.9) | 1 (4.3) | 0.04 |
| Central venous catheter | 54 (65.1) | 12 (52.2) | 0.25 |
| Arterial catheter | 33 (39.8) | 8 (34.8) | 0.66 |
| Length of ICU stay, days, median (IQR) | 6 (3 - 12) | 5 (3 - 9) | 0.42 |
| Length of post-ICU hospital stay, median (IQR) | 1 (0 - 15) | 17 (9 - 28) | 0.0007 |