The impact of organ failures and their relationship with outcome in intensive care: analysis of a prospective multicentre database of adult admissions

Abstract

SummaryThe database of a multicentre cohort study was analysed to determine the impact of intensive care unit (ICU) organ failures and their association with ICU mortality using sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA). A consecutive sample of 873 adult patients with a non‐neurological diagnosis was identified. SOFA scores were measured every 24 h of ICU stay. The odds of ICU death within 7 days doubled (95% CI 1.3–2.9) for a 5‐unit increase in total SOFA score at admission, p < 0.001. However ICU death after 7 days was not associated with total SOFA score at admission, p = 0.36. Compared to patients with a day 6 total SOFA score = 5, there was a 1‐unit (95% CI 0.8–3.1) increase in the odds ratio of ICU death after 7 days with every 5‐unit increase in SOFA score on day 6, p = 0.009. Continuous assessments of organ failures during an ICU admission are more useful than scores measured at admission to determine outcome and to compare ICUs.

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