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Table 1 Studies concerning intensive care outcome and age

From: Factors that predict outcome of intensive care treatment in very elderly patients: a review

Study

Sample

Study type

Age

Main findings

Chelluri et al. (1993) [10]

97 ICU patients

Prospective chart investigation

65–74 years (n = 43) and ≥75 years (n = 54)

Age itself was not an adequate predictor of long-term survival and quality of life, but severity of illness was

Dardaine et al. (1995) [7]

110 ICU patients on mechanical ventilation

Prospective cohort study

> 70 years

ICU mortality was 31% and 6-month mortality was 52%; outcome predictors were shock on admission and previous health status

Cohen and Lambrinos (1995) [8]

14,848 ICU patients on mechanical ventilation

Retrospective cohort study

>18 years

In-hospital mortality, in patients receiving mechanical ventilation aged ≥85 years, was 70% versus 32% in patients aged ≤29 years

Dewar et al. (1999) [9]

37,573 patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation

Retrospective database analysis

> 18 years

Inverse relation between age and survival; older survivors were often discharged to residential health care facilities

Ely et al. (1999) [12]

300 ICU patients

Prospective cohort study

<75 years versus >75 years

No difference in duration of artificial ventilation

Montuclard et al. (2000) [13]

75 ICU patients

Prospective cohort study

> 70 years

ICU mortality was 60% in elderly patients receiving ICU treatment

Ely et al. (2002) [14]

902 Patients with acute lung injury or ARDS

Prospective cohort study

<70 years (n = 729) and >70 years (n = 173)

Patients aged 70 years and older were twice as likely to die than were younger patients, and had greater difficulty achieving liberation from the ventilator

Rosenthal et al. (2002) [15]

156,136 Consecutive admissions to medical, surgical, neurological, and mixed medical/surgical ICUs

Retrospective cohort study

18–100 years

The adjusted odds of death increased with each 5-year age increment

Djaiani and Ridley (1997) [17]

474 ICU patients

Prospective cohort study

>70 years

The 1-year survival of patients aged <85 years was 56%, which was significantly better than that of patients aged >85 years (27%)

Bo et al. (2003) [16]

659 Medical ICU patients

Prospective cohort study

≥ 65 years

Independent predictors of mortality were functional dependence and cognitive impairment before admission, high APACHE II score and low body mass index

Tang et al. (2003) [11]

365 ICU patients on mechanical ventilation

Prospective cohort study

≥ 65 years (n = 206) and <65 years (n = 159)

Severity of acute illness and chronic co-morbidities, but not age, were predictors of medical ICU and hospital mortality in elderly ventilated patients

Chelluri et al. (2004) [43]

817 ICU patients on mechanical ventilation

Prospective cohort study

Mean age 65 years

Long-term mortality rate was associated with old age and poor pre-hospitalization functional status

Esteban et al. (2004) [62]

5183 ICU patients on mechanical ventilation

International prospective cohort study

>70 years (n = 1612)

Patients older than 70 years had higher in-hospital mortality (55%) but similar duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay

Boumendil et al. (2004) [5]

233 ICU patients aged 80 years and older

Prospective cohort study

>80 years

Long-term survival after ICU stay was mainly related to the underlying condition and preadmission functional status

Vosylius et al. (2004) [63]

2067 ICU patients

Prospective observational cohort study

>75 years (n = 477)

Mortality in elderly patients was higher than in younger patients; most important risk factors were severity of illness, impaired level of conciousness and infection.

  1. APACHE, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation; ARDS, acute resppiratory distress syndrome; ICU, intensive care unit.