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. 2020 Mar;32(1):92-98.
doi: 10.5935/0103-507x.20200014. Epub 2020 May 8.

Adverse outcomes of delayed intensive care unit

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Fernanda Ribeiro Quintino Santos  1 , Maurício de Nassau Machado  1 , Suzana Margareth Ajeje Lobo  1
Affiliations

Adverse outcomes of delayed intensive care unit

[Article in English, Portuguese]
Fernanda Ribeiro Quintino Santos et al. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2020 Mar.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To examine the impact of delayed transfer from the emergency room into the intensive care unit on the length of intensive care unit stay and death.

Methods: This prospective, cohort study performed in a tertiary academic hospital obtained data from 1913 patients admitted to the emergency room with a documented request for admission into the intensive care unit. The patients admitted directly into the medical-surgical intensive care unit (n = 209) were categorized into tertiles according to their waiting time for intensive care unit admission (Group 1: < 637 min, Group 2: 637 to 1602 min, and Group 3: > 1602 min). Patients who stayed in the intensive care unit for longer than 3.2 days (median time of intensive care unit length of stay of all patients) were considered as having a prolonged intensive care unit stay.

Results: A total of 6,176 patients were treated in the emergency room during the study period, among whom 1,913 (31%) required a bed in the intensive care unit. The median length of stay in the emergency room was 17 hours [9 to 33 hours]. Hospitalization for infection/sepsis was an independent predictor of prolonged intensive care unit stay (OR 2.75 95%CI 1.38 - 5.48, p = 0.004), but waiting time for intensive care unit admission was not. The mortality rate was higher in Group 3 (38%) than in Group 1 (31%) but the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Delayed admission into the intensive care unit from the emergency room did not result in an increased intensive care unit stay or mortality.

Objetivo: Verificar o impacto da transferência tardia do pronto-socorro para a unidade de terapia intensiva no tempo de permanência na unidade e na ocorrência de óbitos.

Métodos: Este estudo de coorte prospectiva foi conduzido em um hospital acadêmico terciário, com obtenção dos dados de 1.913 pacientes admitidos ao pronto-socorro com solicitação documentada de admissão à unidade de terapia intensiva. Os pacientes admitidos diretamente para a unidade de terapia intensiva médico-cirúrgica (n = 209) foram categorizados em tercis segundo o tempo de espera para admissão à unidade de terapia intensiva (Grupo 1: menos de 637 minutos; Grupo 2: entre 637 e 1.602 minutos, e Grupo 3: acima de 1.602 minutos). Os pacientes que permaneceram na unidade de terapia intensiva por mais de 3,2 dias (tempo mediano de tempo de permanência na unidade de terapia intensiva para todos os pacientes) foram considerados como tempo prolongado de permanência na unidade de terapia intensiva.

Resultados: Foram tratados no pronto-socorro durante o período do estudo 6.176 pacientes, dentre os quais 1.913 (31%) necessitaram de um leito na unidade de terapia intensiva. O tempo mediano de permanência no pronto-socorro foi de 17 horas (9 - 33 horas). Hospitalização por infecção/sepse foi preditor independente para tempo prolongado de permanência na unidade (RC: 2,75; IC95% 1,38 - 5,48, p = 0,004), porém o tempo de espera para admissão à unidade de terapia intensiva não. A taxa de mortalidade foi mais elevada no Grupo 3 (38%) do que no Grupo 1 (31%), porém a diferença não foi estatisticamente significante.

Conclusão: A admissão tardia à unidade de terapia intensiva a partir do pronto-socorro não resultou em aumento do tempo de permanência ou da mortalidade na unidade de terapia intensiva.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of patient selection. ER - emergency room; ICU - intensive care unit.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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