Keywords:
ICU, APACHE II, Length of Stay

ABSTRACT

Introduction : The intensive care unit (ICU) is the designated location for the care of the critically ill and most unstable patients who need urgent and intensive treatment in a given hospital but prolonged ICU stay can also have adverse effect on the health status by increasing the risk of infection, complications, and, possibly, mortality

Objective : To assess the influence of certain factors as possible predictors of prolonged stay as well as criticality of medical ICU patients in the Vydehi Hospital.

Methodology : This was an observational type of study which included all consecutive admissions in the medical ICU over a 12 month period. Data analysed included the demographics profile, criticality of patients, ICU length of stay and the final ICU outcome. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was used to assess severity of illness

Results : Mean age of the patients in the ICU was
48.55 + 18.45 years. Average duration of stay for the patients in the ICU was 3.86 + 5.13 days with median of 2 days. There were 80 patients with a prolonged ICU stay of >5 days, forming 15.6% of the study group. Mean APACHE II score for the admitted patients was 29.96 + 26.23.

Conclusion : Life of as much as one third patients could not be saved even after intensive care efforts and their mean length of stay in ICU was significantly lower compared to other patients.