Readmissions to General ICUs in a Geographic Area of Poland Are Seemingly Associated with Better Outcomes
Marek Grochla1, Wojciech Saucha2, Daniel Ciesla2
1Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Therapy and Emergency Medicine, Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases, Medical University of Silesia, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland.
Background:
Various factors can contribute to high mortality rates in intensive care units (ICUs). Here, we intended to define a population of patients readmitted to general ICUs in Poland and to identify independent predictors of ICU readmission.
Methods:
Data derived from adult ICU admissions from the Silesian region of Poland were analyzed. First-time ICU readmissions (≤30 days from ICU discharge after index admissions) were compared with first-time ICU admissions. Pre-admission and admission variables that independently influenced the need for ICU readmission were identified.
Results:
Among the 21,495 ICU admissions, 839 were first-time readmissions (3.9%). Patients readmitted to the ICU had lower mean APACHE II (21.2 ± 8.0 vs. 23.2 ± 8.8, p < 0.001) and TISS-28 scores (33.7 ± 7.4 vs. 35.2 ± 7.8, p < 0.001) in the initial 24 h following ICU admission, compared to first-time admissions. ICU readmissions were associated with lower mortality vs. first-time admissions (39.2% vs. 44.3%, p = 0.004). Independent predictors for ICU readmission included the admission from a surgical ward (among admission sources), chronic respiratory failure, cachexia, previous stroke, chronic neurological diseases (among co-morbidities), and multiple trauma or infection (among primary reasons for ICU admission).
Conclusions:
High mortality associated with first-time ICU admissions is associated with a lower mortality rate during ICU readmissions.
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