title: Factors influencing prolonged ICU stay after open heart surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are different risk factors that affect the intensive care unit (ICU) stay after cardiac surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate possible risk factors influencing prolonged ICU stay in a large referral hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control study to determinate causes of prolonged ICU stay in 280 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery in a tertiary care center for cardiovascular patients, Tehran, Iran. These patients were divided into two groups according to ICU stay ≤ 96 and > 96 hours. We evaluated perioperative risk factors of ICU stay > 96 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 280 patients studied, 184 (65.7%) had stayed ≤ 96 hours and 96 (34.3%) had stayed > 96 hours in ICU. Frequency of prolonged ICU stay was 34.2% in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), 30.8% in patients with valve surgery, and 44.8% in patients with CABG plus valve surgery. Patients with > 96 hours of ICU stay received more blood transfusion and intravenous inotropes. They also had longer anesthesia, cardiopulmonary bypass, and postoperative intubation time. There were higher incidence of postoperative tamponade, re-exploration, re-intubation, hemodialysis, and hypotension in this group (P < 0.05 for all comparisons).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, about one-third of patients had prolonged ICU stay. Factors influencing prolonged ICU stay were medical and some non-medical factors. In the present study, up to 30% of the patients had a prolonged ICU stay of > 96 hours. Additional data from well-designed investigations are needed for further assessment of the factors influencing prolonged ICU stay after cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Rasoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Azarfarin
authors.affiliation: Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Nasibeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ashouri
authors.affiliation: Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ziae
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Totonchi
authors.affiliation: Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Hooman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bakhshandeh
authors.affiliation: Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yaghoubi
keywords: Cardiac Surgery; Hospitalization; Intensive Care Units; Length of Stay