title: Mortality and associated factors in a thoracic surgery ICU.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess mortality and identify mortality risk factors in patients admitted to a thoracic surgery ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 141 patients admitted to the thoracic surgery ICU of the Denizli State Hospital, located in the city of Denizli, Turkey, between January of 2006 and August of 2008. We collected data regarding gender, age, reason for admission, invasive interventions and operations, invasive mechanical ventilation, infections, and length of ICU stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 141 patients, 103 (73.0%) were male, and 38 (23.0%) were female. The mean age was 52.1 years (range, 12-92 years), and the mortality rate was 16.3%. The most common reason for admission was trauma. Mortality was found to correlate with advanced age (p < 0.05), requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (OR = 42.375; p < 0.05), prolonged ICU stay (p < 0.05), and specific reasons for admission-trauma, gunshot wound, stab wound, and malignancy (p < 0.05 for all).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients in a thoracic surgery ICU, the rates of morbidity and mortality are high. Increased awareness of mortality risk factors can improve the effectiveness of treatment, which should reduce the rates of morbidity and mortality, thereby providing time savings and minimizing costs.
authors.affiliation: Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey. ekremsenturk@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ekrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Senturk
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Senturk
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: Mevlut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ture
authors.forename: Nursen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Avkan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult