JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Multicenter Study
Hospital and 1-year survival of patients admitted to intensive care units with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
To describe outcomes and identify variables associated with hospital and 1-year survival for patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ Patients with COPD admitted to an ICU for an acute exacerbation have a substantial hospital mortality (24%). For patients aged 65 years or older, mortality doubles in 1 year from 30% to 59%. Hospital and longer-term mortality is closely associated with development of nonrespiratory organ system dysfunction; severity of the underlying respiratory function substantially influences mortality following hospital discharge. The need for mechanical ventilation at ICU admission did not influence either short- or long-term outcomes. Physicians should be aware of these relationships when making treatment decisions or evaluating new therapies.
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Comparative Study
Ethnic differences in the use of peritoneal dialysis as initial treatment for end-stage renal disease.
To evaluate the influence of ethnicity on the use of peritoneal dialysis (PD) as initial treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after controlling for other patient characteristics. ⋯ Ethnic differences in initial PD use cannot be explained by many demographic, socioeconomic, and comorbid factors associated with the use of PD as initial treatment for ESRD.