Variation in length of intensive care unit stay after cardiac arrest: where you are is as important as who you are.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether hospital site is independently associated with length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay in those patients who die in hospital after experiencing a cardiac arrest.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Thirty-one Canadian ICUs, all but one being members of the Critical Care Research Network.


METHODS
All patients admitted to these ICUs after resuscitation from a cardiac arrest.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected clinical data. Using gamma regression with ICU length of stay as the dependent variable, we found the following variables to be independently associated with ICU length of stay: age, gender, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, Glasgow Coma Scale score, hospital size, and hospital site.


CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort of patients admitted to ICU after cardiac arrest, hospital site was strongly associated with ICU length of stay after controlling for patient-specific factors. Variation in processes of care among ICUs may point to opportunities for improvement.
Keenan
Sean P
SP
Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, St. Paul's Hospital and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Dodek
Peter
P
Martin
Claudio
C
Priestap
Fran
F
Norena
Monica
M
Wong
Hubert
H
D018806:APACHE; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006276:Health Facility Size; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors