Risk factors for poor outcome in older patients admitted in a surgical intensive care unit.

Background: The benefit of a stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) is not certain for older patients, particularly in the surgical context.

Aims: The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with an unfavourable outcome in this population.

Design: Prospective, descriptive, monocentric study conducted in the surgical ICU of a French university hospital.

Methods: Patients aged ≥75 years admitted in the surgical ICU for a predicted length of stay ≥48 hours were included. Patients received an initial and a 6-months nutritional and functional assessment performed by physicians and nurses. The outcome was considered as favourable if the Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) variation (ADL delta = 6-months ADL - ICU admission ADL) was between 0 and -0.5 point 6 months after ICU discharge and unfavourable if the ADL delta decreased by more than 0.5 points or if the patient had died 6 months after ICU discharge.

Results: Fifty-six patients-32 (57%) male-aged 79 [77; 83] y were included. ICU mortality was 19%; 6-month mortality was 22%. Median ADL delta was -0.5 [-0.5-0] points. A low ADL score (P = .0438) and a low albumin level (P = .0213) at admission were the two independent factors associated with an unfavourable outcome.

Conclusion: Mortality and loss of independence were high in this elderly population during and after their surgical ICU stay. The benefit of a systematic collaboration between intensive care specialists, ICU nurses, and geriatricians, to assess and manage nutritional and functional problems and to prevent a pejorative outcome in patients over 75 years old admitted in surgical ICU needs to be studied. Relevance to clinical practice: There should be systematic screening for objective markers of undernutrition and frailty on ICU admission of older patients as they are associated with a poor prognosis.