Abstract

We aimed to measure the performance of our respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) by evaluating the first 54 patients who were mechanically ventilated due to acute respiratory failure. The patients received invasive mechanical ventilation at least 12 hour between 29 March 2001 and 29 January 2003 were all included in the study. Duration of IMV, length of RICU and hospital stay, complication and mortality rates were searched. Forty-three of the cases were male and the mean age was 60.5±11.9. The primary diagnosis was COPD in 64.8% of the cases. Initial ventilation modes were volume controlled ventilation in 49 cases while pressure controlled ventilation in 5 cases. Mean duration of IMV was 6±4.6 (1-21) days. Complication rate was 35.2% (19/54) and the mortality rate was 27.7% (15/54). The length of RICU stay was 9.35±5.8 (1-26) days; the mean duration of IMV was 4.5±2.7 days in the survivors while 9.8±6 days in the nonsurvivors (p=0.0001). Older age (58±9 vs 66±16; p=0.03), higher beginning APACHE II score (24.4±6 vs 29.8±6.4; p=0.008), lower baseline HCO3 (44±10.9 vs 37±10.2; p=0.058) and higher complication rates were found in the nonsurvivors. Age and complication rate were found as mortality relating factors with logistic regression analysis. IMV was successfully applied to the acute respiratory patients in our RICU. Older age and the development of complication are the factors relating the mortality.