Table 1 Demographics and clinical characteristics of the studied population

Age, yr, median [IQR]

70 [61–80, 8]

70 [61–80]

71 [60–81]

Sex

Male, n (%)

114 (61.3%)

56 (60.2%)

58 (62.4%)

Female, n (%)

72 (38.7%)

37 (39.8%)

35 (37.6%)

Main diagnosis on admission, n (%)

Acute respiratory failure

44 (23.7%)

22 (23.7%)

22 (23.7%)

Postoperative

50 (26.9%)

25 (26.9%)

25 (26.9%)

Sepsis

38 (20.4%)

19 (20.4%)

19 (20.4%)

Acute cardiac disease (*)

20 (10.8%)

10 (10.8%)

10 (10.8%)

Coma

18 (9.7%)

9 (9.7%)

9 (9.7%)

Cardiac arrest

8 (4.3%)

4 (4.3%)

4 (4.3%)

Shock other than sepsis

8 (4.3%)

4 (4.3%)

4 (4.3%)

Comorbidities, n (%)

Cardiovascular

120 (64.5%)

61 (65.6%)

59 (63.4%)

Respiratory

57 (30.6%)

30 (32.3%)

27 (29.0%)

Renal

28 (15.1%)

11 (11.8%)

17 (18.3%)

Hepatic

29 (15.6%)

14 (15.1%)

15 (16.1%)

Cancer disease

66 (35.5%)

40 (43.0%)

26 (28.0%)

Endocrine

84 (45.2%)

39 (41.9%)

45 (48.4%)

SAPS-3, median [IQR]

57.5 [4–66]

56 [48–64]

59 [49–66]

Number of organ failure/s, median (IQR)

2 [1–3]

2 [0–2]

3 [2–4]

Organ-supportive treatments

Invasive MV, n (%)

88 (47.3%)

30 (32.3%)

58 (62.4%)

Days under invasive MV, days (IQR)

4 [2–10]

2 [1–5]

6.5 [3–15]

Reintubation, n (%)

7 (3.8%)

2 (2.2%)

5 (5.4%)

Non-invasive MV, n (%)

24 (12.9%)

14 (15.1%)

10 (10.8%)

CRRT, n (%)

8 (4.3%)

3 (3.2%)

5 (5.4%)

LOS ICU, days, median (IQR)

4 [2–9]

3 [2–5]

7 [3–15]

LOS hospital after ICU discharge, days, median (IQR)

8 [4–16]

8 [4–15]

10 [5–18]

Unplanned readmission to ICU, n (%)

8 (4.3%)

1 (1.1%)

7 (7.5%)

Telephone survey response

No, n (%)

30 (16.1%)

8 (8.6%)

22 (23.7%)

Yes, n (%)

156 (83.9%)

85 (91.4%)

71 (76.3%)

Telephone survey recipient

Patient, n (%)

146 (93.6%)

81 (95.3%)

65 (91.5%)

Surrogate, n (%)

10 (6,4%)

4 (4.7%)

6 (8.5%)