Table 4.

Reasons cited to justify a decision to withhold or withdraw therapy in periods 1 and 2.

	Period 1 N=306			Period 2 N=700
Reason	Withholding only N=68	Withdrawal only N=102	Withholding and Withdrawal N=136	Withholding only N=165	Withdrawal only N=288	Withholding and Withdrawal N=247
Age	22 (32%)	36 (35%)	45 (33%)	56 (34%)	106 (37%)	94 (38%)
Previous autonomy	18 (27%)	21 (21%)	26 (19%)	31 (19%)	69 (24%)	44 (18%)
Comorbidities	26 (39%)	42 (41)	39 (29%)	56 (34%)	103 (36%)	86 (35)
Expected future quality of life	37 (54%)	48 (47%)	53 (39%)	79 (48%)	146 (51%)	132 (46%)
Diagnosis at admission	8 (12%)	9 (9%)	20 (15%)	23 (14%)	32 (11%)	42 (17%)
Non-response to maximal therapy	37 (55%)	49 (48%)	18 (43%)	74 (45%)	147 (51%)	113 (46%)
Multi-organ failure	14 (21%)	19 (19%)	20 (15%)	26 (16%)	49 (17%)	32 (13%)

Totals exceed 100% as more than one reason could be cited for each decision to withhold or withdraw therapy.