ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Outcomes and cost-effectiveness of intermediate care units for patients discharged from the intensive care unit: a nationwide retrospective observational study
Authors' conclusion
Discharge to an IMCU is associated with lower in-hospital mortality and ICU readmission rates compared to general ward discharge.
Study context
- Population
- Patients admitted to the high-intensity intensive care unit (ICU) in Japanese hospitals with IMCUs, April 2020–March 2023
- Participants
- 162,243 patients · 18,220 matched pairs
- Exposure
- Discharge from ICU to IMCU vs general ward
- IMCUn = 21,548
- non-IMCUn = 140,695reference
- Outcome
- In-hospital mortality, ICU readmission, total costs
Methodological detailsnationwide administrative database, propensity-score matched (1:1)
- Nationwide administrative database
- Propensity-score matched (1:1)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Lower in-hospital mortality and ICU readmission rates in IMCU vs non-IMCU
- Higher total costs in IMCU
- Propensity score matched
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mortality and total costs (cardiovascular [open thoracotomy] surgery subgroup)
- Significantly lower mortality and lower total costs in IMCU vs non-IMCU
Original publication
Outcomes and cost-effectiveness of intermediate care units for patients discharged from the intensive care unit: a nationwide retrospective observational study. Crit Care. Published 23 April 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →