title: Description of acute cardiac care in 2014: A French nation-wide database on 277,845 admissions in 270 ICCUs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) has greatly evolved for decades: it no longer includes only patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The clinical characteristics and pathological profiles of patients have markedly changed. Detailed data on the topic are critically lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present here a French nation-wide administrative database with an exhaustive description of patients admitted to ICCU throughout a whole year (2014).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 277,845 patients in 270 centers were admitted to ICCUs at least once in 2014 (exhaustive data). Median age was 71years (IQR: 59-81) and the patients were primarily male (63%). Mean ICCU stay was 2.0days (1.0-4.0). CAD patients (49.0%) represented the major group admitted, followed by patients with arrhythmias (15.2%) and heart failure (HF) (10.0%). Patients admitted with acute CAD were significantly younger (mean age 67.4 y), had better outcomes (mortality 4.0%), and shorter hospital stays (mean stay 6.7 d). Patients with HF were significantly older (mean age 75.2 y), with longer hospital stays (mean stay 12.0 d), and poorer outcomes (mortality 10.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present here the largest contemporary administrative database on patients admitted to ICCUs in a developed country. CAD (mainly acute coronary syndromes) remains the primary cause of admission but the population is, by far, more complex than generally considered.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; PhyMedExp, University of Montpellier, INSERM U1046, CNRS UMR 9214, 34295 Montpellier cedex 5, France. Electronic address: francois.roubille@gmail.com.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roubille
authors.affiliation: Economic Evaluation Unit at Montpellier Teaching Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Grégoire
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mercier
authors.affiliation: Intensive Cardiac Care Unit, Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Clément
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Delmas
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Inserm U942, Lariboisière Hospital, AP-HP, Paris Diderot University, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manzo-Silberman
authors.affiliation: CHU Rennes, Service de Cardiologie et Maladies Vasculaires, Rennes F-35000, France.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leurent
authors.affiliation: Intensive Cardiac Care Unit, Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Rangueil, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Meyer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elbaz
authors.affiliation: Economic Evaluation Unit at Montpellier Teaching Hospital, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Adeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Riondel
authors.affiliation: Hospices Civils de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonnefoy-Cudraz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Inserm U942, Lariboisière Hospital, AP-HP, Paris Diderot University, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Henry
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003325:Coronary Care Units / Q000639:trends*; D003422:Critical Care / Q000639:trends; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000639:trends*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000639:trends*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acute cardiac care; Database; Emergency; Intensive cardiac care unit; Intensive cardiovascular care unit; Intensive care