Berrin Zinnet Eraslan, Nesrin Kıral, Yusuf Furkan Aydınlı, Ali Fidan, Sevda Şener Cömert
Southern Clinics of Istanbul Eurasia - 2025;36(3):253-257
Objective: The transfer of patients from the intensive care unit (ICU) to general wards is a clinically challenging process. A carefully considered decision to transfer and close monitoring on the ward may reduce mortality and the need for ICU readmission. This study aimed to evaluate prognostic factors associated with one-month mortality in patients transferred from a tertiary intensive care unit to a pulmonary medicine ward. Methods: This retrospective observational study included patients who were transferred from a tertiary ICU to the pulmonary medicine ward between January 2024 and July 2024. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data, as well as discharge status and one-month mortality outcomes, were evaluated. Results: A total of 114 patients were included in the study. The one-month mortality rate was 23.7% (27 patients). Patients who died had significantly lower levels of albumin and hemoglobin, as well as a higher mean heart rate upon admission to the ward. Additionally, ICU readmission and the presence of malignancy were significantly associated with mortality in univariate analysis. However, in multivariate logistic regression, only ICU readmission remained an independent predictor of mortality (p=0.032), while malignancy and elevated heart rate were not statistically significant (p=0.297 and p=0.092, respectively) Conclusion: Patients transferred from a tertiary ICU to a pulmonary medicine (ward) are at high risk for short-term mortality. ICU readmission was identified as an independent prognostic factor. Moreover, high heart rate, low albumin and hemoglobin levels, and the presence of malignancy may help in identifying high-risk patients. Early identification and close monitoring of these patients may reduce mortality and ICU readmissions.
