Tracheostomy is frequently performed in critically ill patients to prevent complications associated with prolonged intubation, including prolonged ventilation and extended hospital stays. Despite these benefits, its effect on mortality rates remains uncertain. This study investigates the relationship between tracheostomy timing and patient outcomes in ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including adults who underwent tracheostomy between January 2021 and July 2023. The primary outcomes were hospital and ICU mortality. Patients were categorized into 4 quartiles by timing: Q1 (≤6 days), Q2 (7-14 days), Q3 (15-22 days), and Q4 (>22 days). Regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between tracheostomy timing and mortality. Sixty ICU patients were included. Mortality rates increased with delayed tracheostomy: 5.9% in Q1, 12.5% in Q2, 28.6% in Q3, and 30.77% in Q4, with a significant trend ( P = .001). The adjusted odds ratio for mortality in Q4 versus Q1 was 3.04 (95% CI: 0.22-40.82). Subgroup analyses of patients with respiratory failure and reduced awareness revealed similar patterns, whereas other parameters were not statistically significant. Early tracheostomy was associated with lower hospital and ICU mortality, suggesting its potential benefit in optimizing outcomes for critically ill patients.
Owdeh et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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