Can treating critically-ill haematological malignancy patients in a separate intensive care unit decrease intensive care unit mortality?

Authors: ŞAHENDER GÜLBİN AYGENCEL BIKMAZ, NAZLIHAN BOYACI DÜNDAR, MELDA TÜRKOĞLU, ZEYNEP ARZU YEGİN, ZÜBEYDE NUR ÖZKURT, ABDULLAH MÜNCİ YAĞCI

Abstract: Background/aim: The aim of the study was to investigate whether treating haematological malignancy (HM) patients in a separate intensive care unit (ICU) would reduce ICU mortality. Materials and methods: HM patients treated by the same ICU team in a general medical ICU (GM-ICU) and a separate haematology ICU (H-ICU) were included in this study. Patients' demographic characteristics and ICU data were recorded retrospectively. Differences in the ICU course and prognosis between these two groups were determined. Results: A total of 251 patients (102 from GM-ICU, 149 from H-ICU) were included in this study. The disease severity and organ failure scores at ICU admission and underlying HMs were not different between the two groups. Patients waited longer for admission to GMICU. Therapeutic procedures were performed significantly more frequently in GM-ICU. ICU complications were not different between the groups. ICU mortality rates were higher in GM-ICU (59.8% vs 37.6%, p = 0.006). Conclusion: A separate ICU allocated for haematology patients will allow timely and rapid admission of HM patients to ICU. Thus, mortality rates of HM patients needing ICU care will decline.

Keywords: Intensive care unit, separate intensive care unit, patients with haematological malignancies, intensive care unit mortality

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