title: Increased heart rate on first day in Intensive Care Unit is associated with increased mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of maximum HR during the first day of intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 850 patients over 45 years of age, who were hospitalized in ICU, was retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into two groups; Group-I, patients with maximum HR<100/min Group-II, patients with maximum HR≥100/min on first day. The groups were compared regarding age, sex, use of beta-blockers, use of inotropic and vasopressor drugs, hemodynamic parameters, anemia, mechanical ventilation, length of hospitalization (ICU and total), mortality (ICU and total), and CHARLSON & APACHE-II scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 63±12 years and 86% were after non-cardiac surgery. Maximum HR was 83±11 in Group-I and 115±14/min in Group-II (p=0.002). Group-II patients had more frequent vasopressor and inotropic drugs usage, (p<0.001), anemia, mechanical ventilation (p<0.005), higher CHARLSON & APACHE-II scores, stayed longer in ICU and hospital, and had higher ICU and hospital mortality compared to group-I (p<0.05). APACHE-II scores and maximum HR<100/min were independent variables predicting ICU mortality in multivariate logistic regression analysis whereas usage of beta-blockers was not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that maximum HR less than100/minute during the first day of ICU is associated with decreased mortality in Intensive Care Unit.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Duygu Kara, MD, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Unit, Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Duygu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Prof. Dr. Seda Banu Akinci, MD, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Unit, Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seda Banu
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Akinci
authors.affiliation: Dr. Gulcin Babaoglu, MD, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Unit, Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulcin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Babaoglu
authors.affiliation: Prof. Dr. Ulku Aypar, Anesthesiology and Reanimation Unit, Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ulku
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Aypar
keywords: Intensive care unit; Maximum heart rate; Mortality