The severity of illness of ICU patients – A Single Center Study

Open Access

Abstract

Background: The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is an essential subset of the hospital treatment providing specialized care to patients with most complex diseases, where illness is often life-threatening. Knowledge of illness severity in ICU patients is important to enhance their care and outcomes. The present study intended to investigate the demographic profile, pattern of morbidities and mortality in ICU population of Ad-din Sakina Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Methods & Materials: This was a prospective descriptive study carried out from January 2023 to December 2023 among 144 patients of the ICU. Patients' demographics (age, sex) and diagnosis, ICU stay and outcome (improved, referred to a higher center, or death) were recorded. Microsoft Excel was used to enter data and analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Results: Most ICU patients were more than 60 years of age (41.92 %) and had a slight male preference (50.95%). Common reasons for ICU admission were respiratory, neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Medical diseases were responsible for 90.78% of ICU admissions, and the total mortality was 36%. The lowest survival rate was found in patients with respiratory and cardiovascular comorbidities. Most of deaths fell within the first 3 days after ICU admission thus emphasizing the importance of early ICU management. Conclusion: Respiratory and cardiovascular disorders were determined to be the main cause of death in the ICU. The results highlight the significance of early diagnosis, prompt treatment and adequate ICU care, especially in low-income countries, for favorable patient outcome. More investigation is necessary to improve the management of ICU and lower mortality in the critically ill.