Author information
1Department of Medicine, Hennepin Healthcare, 730 South 8th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55415, USA. Spencer.Goble@hcmed.org.
2Department of Internal Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus, 827 Linden Ave, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
3Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Mayo Memorial Building, MMC 250, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
4Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, MMC 36, 420 Delaware Street S.E., Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
Abstract
Background: Prior assessments of critical care outcomes in patients with cirrhosis have shown conflicting results. We aimed to provide nationwide generalizable results of critical care outcomes in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.
Methods: This is a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2019. Adults with cirrhosis who required respiratory intubation, central venous catheter placement or both (n = 12,945) with principal diagnoses including: esophageal variceal hemorrhage (EVH, 24%), hepatic encephalopathy (58%), hepatorenal syndrome (HRS, 14%) or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (4%) were included. A comparison cohort of patients without cirrhosis requiring intubation or central line placement for any principal diagnosis was included.
Results: Those with cirrhosis were younger (mean 58 vs. 63 years, p < 0.001) and more likely to be male (62% vs. 54%, p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was higher in the cirrhosis cohort (33.1% vs. 26.6%, p < 0.001) and ranged from 26.7% in EVH to 50.6% HRS. Mortality when renal replacement therapy was utilized (n = 1580, 12.2%) was 46.5% in the cirrhosis cohort, compared to 32.3% in other hospitalizations (p < 0.001), and was lowest in EVH (25.7%) and highest in HRS (51.5%). Mortality when cardiopulmonary resuscitation was used was increased in the cirrhosis cohort (88.0% vs. 72.1%, p < 0.001) and highest in HRS (95.7%).
Conclusions: One-third of patients with cirrhosis requiring critical care did not survive to discharge in this U.S. nationwide assessment. While outcomes were worse than in patients without cirrhosis, the results do suggest better outcomes compared to previous studies.