Authors: Islem Ouanes Néji Stambouli Fahmi Dachraoui Lamia OuanesBesbes Samir Toumi Faouzi Ben Salem Mourad Gahbiche Fekri Abroug
Publish Date: 2012/02/11
Volume: 38, Issue: 4, Pages: 710-717
Abstract
Deaths occurred in 326 of 1733 ICUadmitted patients median age 64 years median SAPS II at admission = 36 Overall a decision for full support was taken in 69 while decisions to withhold or withdraw life support were held in 221 and 89 of deaths respectively The rate of endoflife decisions was similar in the MICU and the SICU In no instance was there MV withdrawal during ICU stay Discharging patients to die at home was observed only in the MICU 10 out of the 20 patients with a withdrawal decision Two factors were independently associated with WH or WD decisions a severe and ultimately fatal underlying disease was positively associated with such decisions OR = 24 95 CI 13–436 p = 0003 while having an independent functional status before the ICU was associated with a decreased rate of physician decisions of WH or WD OR = 032 95 CI 015–067 p = 0002
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