Analysis of risk factors for patients with liver cancer admitted to the ICU after major hepatectomy

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission on patients with malignant liver tumors after elective major hepatectomy, and to analyze the relevant factors relating to ICU admission. Method 1 044 liver cancer patients who underwent elective hepatectomy were included into this study. Using the length of extubation time (>5 h) and/or treatment time (>24 h) in ICU, the patients were divided into the ICU group and the general group. The age, gender, underlying disease and operative time, intraoperative blood loss, blood transfusion, as well as postoperative complications, mortality, hospital stay and hospitalization costs were compared between the two groups. The relative factors of the ICU group were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis. Results Compared to the general group, the mean age (57.4±3.7 vs. 53.2±3.2), and the proportions of patients with associated lung diseases (33.7% vs. 10.0%), chronic kidney diseases (9.6% vs 2.0%), anemia (50.6% vs. 5.3%), as well as the amounts of intraoperative blood loss (816 ml vs. 635 ml) and blood transfusion (4.3 U vs. 1.4 U) in the ICU group were significantly higher. The differences were significant (P<0.05). Furthermore, the ICU group of patients had a significantly longer hospital stay (21.6 days vs. 10.1 days, P<0.05) and more hospital costs (76 751 yuan vs. 42 069 yuan, P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that age, blood loss and transfusion were associated with ICU admission. Conclusions It is not necessary to admit every patient with malignant liver tumors to ICU after elective major hepatectomy. ICU admission resulted in prolonged hospital stay and elevated hospital costs. Age (OR=1.077, 95%CI: 1.030~1.127), amount of blood loss (OR=3.211, 95%CI: 1.038~9.929) and blood transfusion (OR=1.330, 95%CI: 1.113~1.589) were associated with ICU admission. There are still many potentially influencing factors which need further studies to determine. Key words: Liver neoplasms; Hepatectomy; ICU; Risk factors