RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess length of stay of patients in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) and to determine risk factors for a long ICU stay. DESIGN: Review of retrospective data. SETTING: University hospital surgical ICU. PATIENTS: Out of a total of 681 admissions to the surgical ICU during a one year period (July 1, 1996 - June 30, 1997), 613 had complete medical data which were analysed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The frequency distribution was skewed to the right. The median and mode were the same (2 days). 35.89 per cent of the ICU admissions had a long stay (>2 days). Independent risk factors for a long ICU stay in the multivariate logistic regression analysis are increasing age, unstable condition, long weaning time, diuretic therapy and re-operation. CONCLUSION: Knowing the length of ICU stay, risk factors for a long ICU stay and how to shorten the ICU stay have potential application in optimizing ICU resource planning and decreasing the health care cost.