Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Comparison of factors influencing the decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment in intensive care unit patients after implementation of the Life-Sustaining Treatment Act in Korea. |
| Authors: |
Claire Junga Kim1 j202403@amc.seoul.kr, Kyung Sook Hong2,3, Sooyoung Cho4,5, Jin Park6 |
| Source: |
Acute & Critical Care. May2024, Vol. 39 Issue 2, p294-303. 10p. |
| Subject Terms: |
*INTENSIVE care patients, *PATIENT aftercare, *CEREBRAL infarction, *INTENSIVE care units, *MEDICAL care costs, *MEDICAL records |
| Abstract: |
Background: The decision to discontinue intensive care unit (ICU) treatment during the end-oflife stage has recently become a significant concern in Korea, with an observed increase in life-sustaining treatment (LST) withdrawal. There is a growing demand for evidence-based support for patients, families, and clinicians in making LST decisions. This study aimed to identify factors influencing LST decisions in ICU inpatients and to analyze their impact on healthcare utilization. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of ICU patients with neurological disorders, infectious disorders, or cancer who were treated at a single university hospital between January 1, 2019 and July 7, 2021. Factors influencing the decision to withdraw LST were compared between those who withdrew LST and those who did not. Results: Among 54,699 hospital admissions, LST was withdrawn in 550 cases (1%). Cancer was the most common diagnosis, followed by pneumonia and cerebral infarction. Among ICU inpatients, LST was withdrawn from 215 (withdrawal group). The withdrawal group was older (78 vs. 75 years, P=0.002), had longer total hospital stays (16 vs. 11 days, P<0.001), and higher ICU readmission rates than the control group. There were no significant differences in the healthcare costs of ICU stay between the two groups. Most LST decisions (86%) were made by family. Conclusions: The decisions to withdraw LST of ICU inpatients were influenced by age, readmission, and disease category. ICU costs were similar between the withdrawal and control groups. Further research is needed to tailor LST decisions in the ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|
Copyright of Acute & Critical Care is the property of Korean Society of Critical Care Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| Database: |
Academic Search Complete |
