Association between age-related factors and extubation failure in elderly patients

Elderly patients are being increasingly admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for mechanical ventilation. Previous studies demonstrated that 20% to 35% of elderly patients were reintubated within 48 to 72 hours after extubation. Given the age-related physiologic changes and multiple comorbidities in elderly patients, the current conventional parameters for predicting extubation outcomes may not be applicable to this population. This study was performed to identify the association between age-related parameters and extubation failure in elderly patients.

Intubated elderly patients (age of ≥60 years) admitted to the medical ICU of a university-based hospital from October 2014 to July 2015 were included. Failed extubation was defined as reintubation within 48 hours after the first extubation. The associations of extubation failure with demographic data, vital signs, cognition and anxiety, and ventilator parameters at the time of intubation and extubation were analyzed.

In total, 127 intubated elderly patients were recruited. Extubation failure occurred in 15 patients (11.8%). Patients with failed extubation had a lower body temperature (37.0°C vs. 37.3°C, P < 0.05) but a higher Facial Anxiety Scale (FAS) score than those with successful extubation (3 vs. 2, P < 0.05). Patients with extubation failure had significantly higher levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (39.88 vs. 58.47 g/dL), serum sodium (137.66 vs. 141.47 mmol/L), and serum calcium (9.52 vs. 10.0 g/dL) but a wider anion gap (12.23 vs. 9.97), but no significant differences in respiratory parameters were found between the two groups. Multiple logistic regression revealed no independent factors associated with successful extubation.

This study revealed no strong predictive factors. However, several physiological parameters (lower body temperature and higher FAS scores) and metabolic parameters (BUN, sodium, calcium, and anion gap) were significantly associated with the rate of extubation failure.