title: ICU survival of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
abstract: The ICU records of 31 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome were reviewed. Of 23 (74%) patients admitted for respiratory failure requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation, 20 (87%) patients had Pneumocystis carinii and/or cytomegalovirus pneumonia. Of the eight patients admitted without respiratory failure, five (63%) were monitored after brain biopsy. Respiratory failure patients remained in the ICU for 10 +/- 1 days, compared to 5 +/- 1 days for those without respiratory failure (p less than .05). Overall mortality was 24 patients (77%); 21 (91%) of 23 respiratory failure patients died, compared to three (38%) of the eight without respiratory failure (p less than .01). All seven ICU survivors lived to hospital discharge.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D003422:Critical Care; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications*; D011379:Prognosis; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000150:complications