Table 1. Characteristics of adult patients transferred from critical care units to general medical ward.
| No. (%) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| All adults (N = 71) | HDU admission (n = 33) | ICU admission (n = 38) | |
| Age, mean, years | |||
| <50 | 38 (54%) | 15 (45.5%) | 23 (60.5%) |
| ≥50 | 33 (46%) | 18 (54.5%) | 15 (39.5%) |
| Sex | |||
| Male | 68 (95.8%) | 32 (97.0%) | 36 (94.7%) |
| Female | 3 (4.2%) | 1 (3.0%) | 2 (5.3%) |
| Ethnicitya | |||
| Arab | 6 (8.4%) | 4 (12.1%) | 2 (5.3%) |
| African | 2 (2.8%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (5.3%) |
| South Asian | 54 (76.1%) | 23(69.7%) | 31 (81.6%) |
| Southeast Asian | 9 (12.7%) | 6 (18.2%) | 3 (7.9%) |
| Comorbiditiesb | |||
| No comorbidities | 28 (39.4%) | 12 (36.4%) | 16 (42.1%) |
| Asthma or COPD | 4 (5.6%) | 1 (3.0%) | 3 (7.9%) |
| Hypertension | 14 (19.7%) | 8 (24.2%) | 6 (15.8%) |
| Diabetes | 22 (31.0%) | 11 (33.3%) | 11 (28.9%) |
| Chronic Kidney Disease | 1 (1.4%) | 1 (3.0%) | 0 (0%) |
| Immunosuppressionc | 2 (2.8%) | 1 (3.0%) | 1 (2.6%) |
| Malignancyd | 2 (2.8%) | 1 (3.0%) | 1 (2.6%) |
| Obesity (BMI ≥30)e | 18 (25.4%) | 11 (33.3%) | 7 (18.4%) |
| Highest level of respiratory support | |||
| Nasal cannula/face mask | 6 (8.4%) | 6 (18.2%) | 0 (0%) |
| High-flow oxygen | 17 (23.9%) | 15 (45.5%) | 2 (5.3%) |
| Noninvasive ventilation | 15 (21.1%) | 12 (36.4%) | 3 (7.9%) |
| Invasive/mechanical ventilation | 33 (46.8%) | 0 (0%) | 33 (86.8%) |
Abbreviations: HDU, high dependency unit; ICU, intensive care unit; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; BMI, body mass index
aRace and ethnicity data were collected from UAE national identification cards located in the electronic medical record.
bComorbidities listed here are defined as medical diagnoses included in medical history by ICD-10 coding.
cImmunosuppression include HIV, history solid organ transplant or autoimmune disease.
dMalignancy includes active solid organ or hematologic malignancy (not in remission) or receiving active chemotherapy.
eObesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30. Body mass index is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.