ObjectiveTo identify factors associated with maternal death in patients admitted to an
intensive care unit.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in a maternal intensive care unit. All
medical records of patients admitted from January 2012 to December 2014 were
reviewed. Pregnant and puerperal women were included; those with diagnoses
of hydatidiform mole, ectopic pregnancy, or anembryonic pregnancy were
excluded, as were patients admitted for non-obstetrical reasons. Death and
hospital discharge were the outcomes subjected to comparative analysis.ResultsA total of 373 patients aged 13 to 45 years were included. The causes for
admission to the intensive care unit were hypertensive disorders of
pregnancy, followed by heart disease, respiratory failure, and sepsis;
complications included acute kidney injury (24.1%), hypotension (15.5%),
bleeding (10.2%), and sepsis (6.7%). A total of 28 patients died (7.5%).
Causes of death were hemorrhagic shock, multiple organ failure, respiratory
failure, and sepsis. The independent risk factors associated with death were
acute kidney injury (odds ratio [OR] = 6.77), hypotension (OR = 15.08), and
respiratory failure (OR = 3.65).ConclusionThe frequency of deaths was low. Acute kidney injury, hypotension, and
respiratory insufficiency were independent risk factors for maternal
death.