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Pulse Pressure and Mortality Risk in Critically Ill Patients
Dúnia Abou Jokh Chaaya1, Lilia de Souza Nogueira1, Rita de Cassia Gengo E Silva Butcher1
1Dúnia Abou Jokh Chaaya is a resident, highly complex cardiopneumology, School of Nursing and Heart Institute, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Lilia de Souza Nogueira is Professor, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, 419, 05403-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil (lilianogueira@usp.br). Rita de Cassia Gengo e Silva Butcher is Professor, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Jéssica Zamora Reboreda is a resident, highly complex cardiopneumology, School of Nursing and Heart Institute, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Ane Karoline Silva Bonfim is a PhD student, adult health nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Brazil. Katia Grillo Padilha is Professor, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Background:
Pulse pressure is a hemodynamic variable easily measured in the intensive care unit.
Objective:
To investigate whether pulse pressure is an independent risk factor for mortality in intensive care unit patients.
Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was carried out in Brazil. Data were collected from medical records of patients admitted to intensive care units from September to December 2012. Pulse pressure was calculated from systolic and diastolic blood pressures recorded during the first 24 hours of stay.
Results:
Records of 529 patients (mean [standard deviation] age 55.0 [17.3] years; 54.4% male, 45.6% female) were analyzed. Risk factors for mortality were age, use of vasoactive drugs, nursing workload, and length of stay in the intensive care unit. Analysis indicated that higher minimum pulse pressures were associated with lower mortality risk.
Conclusion:
Pulse pressure was not found to be an independent risk factor for mortality in patients who are critically ill.
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