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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
Outcome of long-stay intensive care patients
M Hughes1, F N MacKirdy, J Norrie
1Scottish Intensive Care, Society Audit Group, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. mh4493@compuserve.com
Objectives:
To assess the numbers, characteristics and outcome for patients requiring long-term intensive care.
Design And Setting:
Observational cohort study in 23 Scottish intensive care units over a 3-year period.
Patients And Participants:
323 patients with an ICU stay of 30 days or more.
Measurements And Results:
Although representing only 1.6% of patients, those with long stays occupied 15.7% of bed-days. Hospital survival among these patients was 59.9%. With the available data it was not possible to discriminate survivors from non-survivors.
Conclusions:
Since these patients have a relatively high hospital survival, resources should not be withheld from them on the basis of prolonged ICU stay alone, even in countries with limited ICU provision.
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