Table 2 Patients characteristics on admission – demographic and clinical data of all patients in comparison to those who died in PCU Havelhoehe 1995–2002. Significant differences were found between groups on age and stages on admission except preterminal stage.
From: Sedation in palliative care – a critical analysis of 7 years experience
All admissions (A) | Subgroup (B) | Subgroup (C) | Significance p-values | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
All patients (n = 1467) | † without sed. (n = 468) | † with sed. (n = 80) | ||
Gender (%) | ||||
female | 55.8 | 57.1 | 61.2 | n.s. |
Age (years) | ||||
Mean (SD) | 60,8 (17.8) | 63.6 (13.3)* | 54.3 (14.4)** | *p = 0.026 |
Range | (19.7–97.7) | (24.6–97.7) | (19.7–81.1) | **P < 0.001. |
Stage on admission (%) | ||||
Rehabilitative | 33.3 | 15.1** | 13.8** | **P < 0.001 |
Preterminal | 44.3 | 42.2 | 43.8 | P = 0.445 |
Terminal | 19.6 | 36.6** | 38.7** | **P < 0.001 |
Final | 2.8 | 6.2* | 3.8* | *P = 0.002 |
Duration of stay (days) | ||||
Mean (SD) | 21.0 (21.5) | 21.1 (23.6) | 21.5 (20.3) | n.s. |
Median | 16 | 14.0 | 15.5 | |
Range | (0 – 233) | (0 – 199) | (1 – 109) | |
Primary cancer site (%) | ||||
Gastrointestinal | 21.6 | 24.4 | 27.2 | n.s. |
Breast | 15.4 | 15.6 | 6.2 | P = 0.06 n.s. |
Lung, bronchus & trachea | 12.8 | 14.9 | 16.0 | n.s. |
Prostate | 8.8 | 5.2 | 3.7 | n.s |
Female genital | 8.6 | 9.7 | 14.8 | n.s. |
Bones, skin & soft tissue | 6.3 | 6.7 | 7.4 | n.s. |
Nervous system | 3.8 | 3.7 | 1.2 | n.s. |
Urinary system | 3.8 | 3.7 | 7.4 | P = 0.085 n.s. |
Oropharynx & hypopharynx | 3.7 | 4.1 | 7.4 | P = 0.085 n.s. |
Lymphoma | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.7 | n.s. |
Others | 1.2 | 2.1 | 4.9 | n.s. |
Non-cancer diagnosis | 10.5 | 5.6** | 0.0 | P = 0.001 |