title: Intensive care of haematological patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article presents the treatment results of 320 consecutive patients with malignant haematological diagnoses admitted to a tertiary intensive care unit at a Danish University hospital over a six-year period (2005-2010). With reference to international publications, we describe the development in treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective observational study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age was 59 years. The median intensive care unit (ICU) stay was six days. A total of 88% required mechanical ventilation, and 72% received vasopressor treatment. The median Simplified Acute Physiology Score II score was 58. The ICU and one-year mortality rates were 44% and 77%, respectively, but mortality was significantly lower for patients aged 0-20 years. For patients aged 20-80 years, the mortality risk was independent of age. For the group of patients admitted acutely to the ICU with other diagnoses, the ICU- and the one-year mortality rate was 13% and 33%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite progress, the mortality rate for haematological patients in ICUs is high. We lack valid tools that allow us to differentiate between those who can benefit from intensive care and those for whom transfer to an ICU is futile. One patient out of five is alive after one year. This supports a strategy offering haematological patients intensive care on an equal footing with other patients. Follow-up studies of survivors,  clarification of function level and quality of life are needed.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  not relevant.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, 4131, Rigshospitalet, København, Denmark. tobias@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Magid
authors.forename: Nicolai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haase
authors.forename: Jakob Steen
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Ove Juul
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bonde
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D016638:Critical Illness; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006405:Hematology / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014218:Triage; D055815:Young Adult