Delayed vs Early Admission to Intensive Care: A Retrospective Review of Outcomes and Clinical Indicators of Deterioration Following Trauma.

Unplanned admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) is a trauma quality improvement indicator associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and hospital resource usage. We identified demographics, injuries, and other clinical factors between early ICU admission, <72 hrs after admission (EAd), and delayed admission, >72 hrs (DelAd) from a medical/surgical floor. 146 trauma patients admitted to ICU at a level 1 trauma center from January 2020 to March 2023 met inclusion criteria and were divided into EAd and DelAd. No statistical differences in injury mechanism or severity were observed. Delayed admission demonstrated higher mortality (P = .001), more frequent decline in GCS (P = .045), and initiation of anticoagulation (P = .002). Abnormal EKG, orthopedic surgery during admission, and home anticoagulant and antidepressant use were statistically significant in identifying patients requiring early ICU admission.