Patients aged 90 years or older in the intensive care unit

Abstract

Background. Age is an important prognostic factor in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), but it is not as important as illness severity. However, age seems to remain an important independent triage criterion for ICU admission, and 90 years of age seems to represent a psychological barrier for many ICU physicians. The aim of this preliminary study is to compare the management and outcome of patients aged 90 years or older admitted to a respiratory ICU with those of patients aged 70 years or younger. Methods. In our matched case-control study over a 6-year period, 36 patients aged 90 years or older (case patients) were selected and matched according to sex with 72 controls chosen in the 20- to 69-year age range. The Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II was then computed without using age as a variable. Results. Pre-existing comorbidities were significantly less frequent in cases than in controls (5.1% vs 30.5%, p < .01). Compared to controls, cases were more frequently admitted for cardiac failure (22% vs 7%, p < .05) and less frequently for neurological diseases (0% vs 11%, p