[Resuscitation in the field of intensive care medicine: comparison of two periods of anesthesiologic intensive care separated by 10 years].
Acute failure of vital functions is more likely to occur in patients in intensive care units (ICU) than in peripheral wards. In this retrospective study, which analyzes the cases over two distinct 1-year periods separated by a 10-year interval, we have attempted to reflect the results obtained in our own ICU and to compare them with data reported in the literature. One hundred thirty-three patients requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation were entered in the study. Over the 10-year interval, the survival rate increased. The number of patients that could be successfully resuscitated increased from 75.7% to 89.6%, and the rate of survivors discharged from hospital increased from 22.5% to 42.8%. During the first study period 17.8% of resuscitated ICU patients could be discharged with a good prognosis; 10 years later the rate was 32.7%. Possible explanations for the improved outcome could be the more restrictive resuscitation policy and the decreased mean age of resuscitated patients. Earlier detection of threatening complications and improvements in resuscitative measures could also be responsible for the more favorable outcome. During the first study period, 64.3% of patients died if resuscitation had to be started on peripheral wards, whereas in the second study period 63.2% survived. These results indicate the importance of improved resuscitation training programs for the entire hospital staff. Furthermore, over the 10-year interval the reason for admission has changed from traumatized patients to individuals suffering from acute respiratory failure. A comparison of our results with data reported by others could be hampered by the use of different criteria as well as by the differences in patient populations treated. For this reason, widely accepted common criteria should be established for further epidemiological studies.
Sefrin
P
P
Institut für Anaesthesiologie, Universität Würzburg.
Kaufmann
D
D
D000758:Anesthesia; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012151:Resuscitation; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Reanimation im Rahmen der Intensivmedizin. Gegenüberstellung zweier Zeitabschnitte einer anaesthesiologischen Intensivstation im 10Jahres-Intervall.