Long-term functional outcome data should not in general be used to guide end-of-life decision-making in the ICU
ME Wilson, RO Hopkins, SM Brown - Critical care medicine, 2019 - journals.lww.com
Physician prognostication of functional outcomes appears to be even worse than
prognostication of mortality. Among approximately 300 patients in Pennsylvania, clinician
predictions poorly discriminated functional outcomes and discriminated worse than
predictions of mortality (13). In a single-center study, over half of ICU attending physicians
recalled being surprised to discover that patients in whom they had recommended limiting
life support on the basis of anticipated poor outcomes had in fact survived, sometimes with …
prognostication of mortality. Among approximately 300 patients in Pennsylvania, clinician
predictions poorly discriminated functional outcomes and discriminated worse than
predictions of mortality (13). In a single-center study, over half of ICU attending physicians
recalled being surprised to discover that patients in whom they had recommended limiting
life support on the basis of anticipated poor outcomes had in fact survived, sometimes with …