The outcome of the geriatric patients in the ICU

The aim of the study was to compare the outcome of the geriatric patients (≥ 65 years of age; Group 1) with young ones (< 65 years of age; Group 2), and to compare the outcome of the elderly patients (65–74 years of age; Group A) with the very old ones (≥ 75 years of age; Group B) in the intensive care unit (ICU).

In a 12 month period, data of the 245 patients who were hospitalized more than 24 hours in the ICU was prospectively collected. The patients were followed till death or discharge from the hospital. Disease severity was assessed by using the APACHE II score from which age factor was subtracted (APACHE II – age), and the predicted mortality was calculated by using the original APACHE II score.

The comparison of the Group 1 and 2 is shown in the Table, with the results as mean ± SE or as n (%).

Table

Although Group A (N = 69) and B (N = 50) had similar APACHE II scores (22.1 ± 0.9 vs 23.5 ± 1.1), Group B tended to have increased ICU mortality rate and had higher hospital mortality rate when compared with Group A (48% vs 32%; P = 0.06; 60% vs 33%; P = 0.003).

In conclusion, geriatric patients, in general, had ICU and hospital mortality rates similar to that of the young patients with comparable disease severity. However, the ICU and hospital mortality rates of the patients more than 74 years of age were found to be higher than those of the patients who were 65–74 years of age.