Arch Surg Chicago
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We studied the impact of age on outcomes for patients with severe blunt brain injury. ⋯ Elderly patients experienced higher mortality, had poorer functional recovery, more frequently died of secondary organ failure, and consumed more resources per favorable outcome than did younger patients with similar injury profiles despite equivalent treatment efforts.
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To investigate the effect of extreme age on outcome from surgical intensive care. ⋯ Nonagenarians do not differ from younger SICU patients in survival from SICU care, although hospital mortality is greater in nonagenarians. Age alone should not be used to make decisions about the utility of SICU care for the elderly. Outcome correlates better with severity of illness, and the measure is valid in young and old alike.
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To study a cohort of patients treated at the same institution and to compare that patient population with that of a previous report documenting the comorbidity of inhalation injury and pneumonia. Specifically, we wanted to determine whether there had been an improvement in survival of patients suffering inhalation injury. ⋯ The improvement in survival of patients with inhalation injury represents the aggregate effects of the general improvement and outcome of all burned patients, the prevention of pneumonia by high-frequency ventilation, and the reduced mortality from the pneumonias that did occur.