Risk factors for mortality in geriatric patients admitted to the intensive care unit at a public hospital

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate risk factors for mortality in geriatric patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: We studied older patients admitted to the ICU in a historical cohort study. Convenience sampling was performed for all patients aged 60 years or older, admitted to the 20 beds of an ICU of a highly complex hospital. Cox regression analysis was performed to estimate risk factors associated with mortality. The significance level used was 5%. RESULTS: The proportion of geriatric patients represented 45% of ICU admissions in the period. In-hospital mortality was 38.4%. The postoperative emergency surgery variable and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) admission scores were identified as independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION: Risk factors associated with mortality were APACHE II and SOFA scores for admission and postoperative emergency surgery.