Table 1. Demographic and clinical variables of patients according to the presence of acute brain dysfunction.
| Variables | All Patients (n = 170) | Acute Brain Dysfunction (n = 161) | No acute brain dysfunction (n = 9) | P-value* |
| Age (years) | 63(53–72) | 62(53–72) | 64(50–68) | 0.78 |
| Male gender, n (%) | 100(58.8%) | 93(57.7%) | 7(77.7%) | 0.36 |
| Performance status (3–4), n (%) | 34(20%) | 33(20.4%) | 1(11.1%) | 0.68 |
| Cancer status (recent diagnosis/relapse/progression), n (%) | 161(94.7%) | 152(94.4%) | 9(100%) | 0.99 |
| Solid tumor, n (%) | 125(73.5%) | 118(73.2%) | 7(77.7%) | 0.99 |
| Tumor extension (locally advanced/distant metastasis), n (%) | 78(45.8%) | 75(46.5%) | 3(33.3%) | 0.64 |
| SAPS II score (points) | 54(46–63) | 54(45–63) | 57(50–60) | 0.76 |
| Charlson comorbidity index (points) | 2(2–3) | 2(2–3) | 3(2–4.5) | 0.50 |
| SOFA score (points) | 7(6–9) | 7(6–9) | 6(4.5–7) | 0.07 |
| Type of admission | ||||
| Medical n (%) | 113(66.4%) | 107(66.4%) | 6(66.6%) | 0.99 |
| Main reasons for ICU admission | ||||
| Sepsis, n (%) | 108(63.5%) | 105(65.2%) | 3(33.3%) | 0.08 |
| Respiratory failure (excluding sepsis), n (%) | 27(15.8%) | 22(13.6%) | 5(55.5%) | 0.006 |
| PaO2/FiO2 (points) | 270(200–380) | 270(200–380) | 270(140–390) | 0.60 |
| Sedatives, n (%) | 168(98.8%) | 161(100%) | 7(77.7%) | 0.002 |
| MV LOS (days) | 13(6–21) | 13(6.5–20) | 15(5–28) | 0.99 |
| ICU LOS (days) | 14(7.5–22) | 14(7–22) | 13(10–20) | 0.94 |
| Hospital LOS (days) | 26(14–39) | 26(13–39) | 36(21–49) | 0.13 |
| ICU mortality, n (%) | 93(54.7%) | 90(55.9%) | 3(33.3%) | 0.34 |
| Hospital mortality, n(%) | 113(66.4%) | 110(68.3%) | 3(33.3%) | 0.06 |
| End of life care, n (%) | 30(17.6%) | 27(16.7%) | 3(33.3%) | 0.25 |
*
For comparisons among patients with and without the diagnosis of acute brain dysfunction.
SAPS II - Simplified Acute Physiology Score II; SOFA - Sequential Organ Failure Assessment; ICU - intensive care unit; LOS –length of stay; Performance is status is defined according to the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale.
Results expressed as median (25%–75% interquartile range) and number (%).