The use of APACHE III to evaluate ICU length of stay, resource use, and mortality after coronary artery by-pass surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To identify patient characteristics that are associated with increased ICU length of stay, resource use, and hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery.


METHODS
Prospective, multicenter study.


METHODS
Six tertiary care hospitals.


METHODS
A consecutive sample of 2,435 unselected ICU admissions following coronary artery by-pass surgery.


METHODS
Demographic, operative characteristics and APACHE III score were collected during the first postoperative day; and APACHE III scores and therapeutic interventions during the first three postoperative days. Hospital survival and ICU length of stay were also recorded. Multivariate equations were derived and cross-validated to predict hospital mortality, ICU length of stay, and ICU resource use.


RESULTS
Unadjusted hospital mortality rate was 3.9% (range 1.0% to 6.0%), mean ICU length of stay was 3.7 days (range 3.2 to 4.7 days), and first 3-day ICU resource use (TISS points) was 99 (range 68 to 116). The range of actual to predicted ICU length of stay varied from 0.86 to 1.26; and resource use from 0.71 to 1.16.


CONCLUSIONS
A limited number of operative characteristics, the post-operative acute physiology score (APS) of APACHE III and patient demographic data can predict hospital death rate, ICU length of stay, and resource use immediately following coronary by-pass surgery. These estimates may compliment assessments based on pre-operative risk factors in order to more precisely evaluate and improve the efficacy and efficiency of cardiovascular surgery.
Becker
R B
RB
Department of Anesthesiology, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
Zimmerman
J E
JE
Knaus
W A
WA
Wagner
D P
DP
Seneff
M G
MG
Draper
E A
EA
Higgins
T L
TL
Estafanous
F G
FG
Loop
F D
FD
D018806:APACHE; D000368:Aged; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology