Early intensive care sedation predicts long-term mortality in ventilated critically ill patients

Abstract

Rationale: Choice and intensity of early (first 48 h) sedation may affect short- and long-term outcome. Objectives: To investigate the relationships between early sedation and time to extubation, delirium, and hospital and 180-day mortality among ventilated critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: Multicenter (25 Australia and New Zealand hospitals) prospective longitudinal (ICU admission to 28 d) cohort study of medical/surgical patients ventilated and sedated 24 hours or more. We assessed administration of sedative agents, ventilation time, sedation depth using Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS, four hourly), delirium (daily), and hospital and 180-day mortal..