CRITICAL CARE Outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with haematological malignancy admitted to a specialist cancer intensive care unit: a 5 yr study

Editor’s key points † Patients with haematological malignancy requiring intensive care unit (ICU) care are often assumed to have a poor prognosis. † Analysis of 199 patients in a specialist centre had a lower ICU mortality (33%) than earlier studies. † Failure of ≥2 organ systems and mechanical ventilation were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. † The prognosis for haematological malignancy patients admitted to the ICU appears to be improving. Background. Long-held assumptions of poor prognoses for patients with haematological malignancies (HM) have meant that clinicians have been reluctant to admit them to the intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to evaluate ICU, in-hospital, and 6 month mortality and to identify predictors for in-hospital mortality.