OBJECTIVE: To study differences related to intensive care unit (ICU) structure and patient demography between the various countries of Western Europe. DESIGN: Application of data collected by the European Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care (EPIC) study, a one-day prevalence study. SETTING: Voluntary participation of all Western European ICUs. A total of 1417 ICUs responded. PATIENTS: All patients, older than 10 years of age, occupying a bed in the participating ICUs over a 24-h period. 10,038 patient case reports were submitted. RESULTS: The study revealed important differences. In particular, there seems to be a north/south divide with fewer ICU beds and more severely ill patients in the south. The United Kingdom seemed more similar to southern European countries than to the north. CONCLUSION: While there are similarities between European countries, large differences still remain and are important to identify to enable us to work together to create a more uniform system of intensive care, which will in turn give more effective and efficient patient care.
OBJECTIVE: To study differences related to intensive care unit (ICU) structure and patient demography between the various countries of Western Europe. DESIGN: Application of data collected by the European Prevalence of Infection in Intensive Care (EPIC) study, a one-day prevalence study. SETTING: Voluntary participation of all Western European ICUs. A total of 1417 ICUs responded. PATIENTS: All patients, older than 10 years of age, occupying a bed in the participating ICUs over a 24-h period. 10,038 patient case reports were submitted. RESULTS: The study revealed important differences. In particular, there seems to be a north/south divide with fewer ICU beds and more severely ill patients in the south. The United Kingdom seemed more similar to southern European countries than to the north. CONCLUSION: While there are similarities between European countries, large differences still remain and are important to identify to enable us to work together to create a more uniform system of intensive care, which will in turn give more effective and efficient patient care.
Authors: A R Aitkenhead; L H Booij; J F Dhainaut; K Geiger; H Haljamäe; P D Lumb; W B Runciman; P M Suter; J L Vincent Journal: Intensive Care Med Date: 1993 Impact factor: 17.440
Authors: J L Vincent; D J Bihari; P M Suter; H A Bruining; J White; M H Nicolas-Chanoin; M Wolff; R C Spencer; M Hemmer Journal: JAMA Date: 1995 Aug 23-30 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Jürgen Graf; Andrea Reinhold; Frank M Brunkhorst; Max Ragaller; Konrad Reinhart; Markus Loeffler; Christoph Engel Journal: Wien Klin Wochenschr Date: 2010-09-27 Impact factor: 1.704
Authors: Meeta Prasad Kerlin; Dylan S Small; Elizabeth Cooney; Barry D Fuchs; Lisa M Bellini; Mark E Mikkelsen; William D Schweickert; Rita N Bakhru; Nicole B Gabler; Michael O Harhay; John Hansen-Flaschen; Scott D Halpern Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2013-05-20 Impact factor: 91.245