The number of elderly intensive care unit (ICU) patients is increasing. We therefore assessed the long-term outcome in the elderly following intensive care.
The outcome status for 91 elderly (=75 years) and 659 nonelderly (18-74 years) ICU patients treated in the course of a one year period was obtained. A total of 36 of 37 eligible elderly survivors were interviewed about their health related quality of life (HRQOL), social services and their wish for intensive care.
The mortality (54% at follow-up and 64% after one year) was higher in the elderly ICU patients than in non-elderly ICU patients (33% and 37%, respectively, p