• L Chelluri, M R Pinsky, and A N Grenvik.
• Department of Anesthesiology/CCM, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Presbyterian-University Hospital, PA 15213.
• Crit. Care Med. 1992 Jun 1; 20 (6): 757-61.

ObjectiveTo determine the short-term and long-term outcome of critically ill "oldest-old" (greater than or equal to 85 yrs) patients.DesignRetrospective chart review and follow-up telephone interview.SettingICUs at a tertiary care hospital.MethodsThe medical records of all patients greater than or equal to 85 yrs of age admitted to the ICUs during 1988 were reviewed. Demographic information, severity of illness, major interventions, mortality rate, and hospital charges were examined. A follow-up telephone interview was conducted to determine the quality of life and mortality rate after discharge.ResultsOf 34 patients greater than or equal to 85 yrs of age admitted to the ICU, 21 (62%) survived to discharge from the hospital, and 13 (62%) of these 21 patients were discharged to home. Mean +/- SD hospital charges were $34,738 +/- 34,366. Seventeen of the 21 patients were contacted for long-term follow-up, and ten of these patients were alive at a mean follow-up time of 18 +/- 10 months (range 1 to 32). Eight of the ten patients described their quality of life as fair or good.ConclusionThese findings suggest that age alone may be an inappropriate criterion for allocation of ICU resources.

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