• Enrique Norero, Pablo Altschwager, Carlos Romero, Patricio Mellado, Glenn Hernández, Luis Castillo, and Guillermo Bugedo.
• Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
• Rev Med Chil. 2004 Jan 1; 132 (1): 11-8.

BackgroundThe need of mechanical ventilation among patients with acute neurological diseases is considered a poor prognostic sign.AimTo determine the mortality and functional recovery of neurological patients requiring mechanical ventilation.Patients And MethodsProspective study of 77 patients (42 men, age 54+/-19 years, with 11+/-4 points of Glasgow coma scale (GCS), 61% with cerebrovascular disease), that were admitted to the intensive care unit with neurological disease and that required mechanical ventilation. Functional recovery was assessed at 18 months with Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) and Barthel index.ResultsThirty percent of patients died during follow up. Among surviving patients, 47% had a good recovery or moderate disability, and 74% had a Barthel index equal to or over 70. Arterial hypertension, age over 70 and mechanical ventilation longer than 6 days were associated with bad functional prognosis.ConclusionsNeurological patients requiring mechanical ventilation had a lower mortality than previously reported, and half of the survivors have an independent life. This study supports intensive care management in this group of patients.

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