Table 2

Demographic characteristics and survival of patients undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation stratified by different underlying diseases

Number of cases

Mean age (SD)

Female (%)

Median survival (years)

Life expectancy (SE) (years)

Cases with single specific disease

21,316

69 (15)

38

0.35

3.40 (0.09)

Cancer

5,367

70 (14)

33

0.17

1.51 (0.13)

Chronic renal failure

2,032

73 (12)

51

0.78

1.36 (0.16)

Liver cirrhosis

1,478

65 (17)

35

0.19

3.59 (0.33)

Multiple sclerosis or degenerative nervous system conditions

378

65 (17)

39

0.89

4.05 (0.64)

Parkinson's disease

341

79 (7)

36

0.85

2.06 (0.30)

Stroke

6,765

70 (13)

42

0.72

3.38 (0.15)

Aged <64 years

1,955

53 (9)

35

1.65

5.21 (0.39)

Aged 65 to 74 years

1,818

70 (3)

43

0.77

2.98 (0.17)

Aged 75 to 84 years

2,176

79 (3)

44

0.56

2.09 (0.13)

Aged >85 years

816

88 (3)

54

0.39

1.68 (0.13)

Intracranial and/or spinal cord injury or poisoning

4,955

65 (19)

34

1.06

6.27 (0.24)

Aged <64 years

1,949

45 (14)

26

6.20

10.20 (0.49)

Aged 65 to 74 years

1,116

70 (3)

39

0.82

3.77 (0.22)

Aged 75 to 84 years

13,66

79 (3)

35

0.47

2.67 (0.19)

Aged >85 years

524

88 (3)

48

0.33

1.82 (0.13)

Cases with more than two specific diseases

4,772

68 (15)

39

0.32

2.96 (0.13)

Cancer and chronic renal failure

165

71 (11)

44

0.14

1.21 (0.45)

Cancer and others

1,609

70 (14)

35

0.19

1.88 (0.22)

Chronic renal failure and others

743

70 (13)

50

0.21

1.71 (0.28)

SD, standard deviation; SE, standard error of the mean.

Hung et al. Critical Care 2011 15:R107   doi:10.1186/cc10128