Table 5 Causes of death of critically ill patients

Causes of death in the intensive care unit (ICU)

Acute, refractory multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

47

166/353

Refractory cardiovascular failure

17.8

63/353

Refractory, chronic multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

11.6

41/353

Central nervous system failure

7.9

28/353

Acute cardiac arrest

4.2

15/353

End-stage tumour disease

3.4

12/353

Acute haemorrhage

3.4

12/353

Intractable intestinal ischemia

2.5

9/353

Pulmonary failure

1.1

4/353

Acute or chronic liver failure

0.8

3/353

Causes of death in the hospital

Malignant tumour disease

31.3

45/144

Exacerbation of chronic cardiovascular disease

19.4

28/144

Exacerbation of chronic liver disease

11.8

17/144

Acute or chronic abdominal disease

6.9

10/144

Acute cerebral infarction

4.2

6/144

Acute or chronic renal disease

4.2

6/144

Infectious disease

3.5

5/144

Acute cardiac event/cardiac arrest

3.5

5/144

Others

15.3

22/144

Causes of death within 1 year after ICU admission

Malignant tumour disease

33.2

95/286

Exacerbation of chronic cardiovascular disease

16.1

46/286

Acute cardiovascular disease

7.7

22/286

Cerebral infarction

4.2

12/286

Chronic renal disease

2.4

7/286

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

2.1

6/286

Acute or chronic liver disease

1.7

5/286

Diseases of the blood or immune system

1.4

4/286

Trauma

1.4

4/286

Chronic pulmonary disease

1

3/286

Infectious diseases

1

3/286

Thrombotic diseases

1

3/286

Neurologic diseases

0.7

2/286

Acute bleeding

0.7

2/286

Suicide

0.7

2/286

Others

24.5

70/286