A39 Elderly Patients in the Intensive Care Unit, Does Age always matter for the Outcome?

Abstract

Background: Aged patients represent a significant proportion of patients who require admission to the Intensive Care unit (ICU). Advanced age is associated with higher mortality and adverse outcomes in ICU, however according to some studies is not only the age that determines the prognosis, co morbidities and previous health status could affect the outcome as well. Goal of Study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effect of age, co morbidities, reason for admission to the ICU, length of stay in ICU and the final outcome. Methods: Our study included157 patients aged 68 and older that were admitted to the ICU from January 2009 till September 2011. Demographic parameters, admission diagnosis, underling diseases, ICU length of stay and finally outcome were recorded. Results: We enrolled 157 patients, 85 males, 72 females with mean age 74 ± 6 years. They main reasons for admission were 1.post operative (after elective operation) 64 patients 2. trauma 40 patients, 3. acute respiratory failure 30 patents, 4. sepsis 23 patients. Out of 157 patients the 112 had co morbid medical illness (e.g. ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, COPD, chronic renal failure). The mean length of stay was 23 days but it ranged from 1 to 65 days. Out of 157 patient 95 were discharged from the ICU and 62 patient died. Post operative patients independently from the age and co morbidities had the best outcome and discharged earlier from ICU than other etiological groups. There were not differences in the outcome as far as the gender was concerned, Conclusions and Discussion: Reasons for mortality appear to be multifactorial in elderly patients. High age alone is not a factor to predict morbidity and mortality in ICU patients. Previous health state-co morbidities and the reason for admission in the ICU play a very important role for the final outcome.