A chlorhexidine-based surface antiseptic protocol can interrupt transmission of MRSA in the intensive care unit, but strains carrying qacA/B genes may be unaffected or potentially spread more rapidly.

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Short-term outcome of critically ill cancer patients in ICU is better than previously reported. The decision to admit cancer patients to ICU should depend on the severity of the acute illness rather than factors related to the malignancy. In appropriate patients, invasive organ support and re-admission should not be withheld.

ObjectivesPatients with cancer frequently require unplanned admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Our objectives were to assess hospital and 180-day mortality in patients with a non-haematological malignancy and unplanned ICU admission and to identify which factors present on admission were the best predictors of mortality.DesignRetrospective review of all patients with a diagnosis of solid tumours following unplanned admission to the ICU between 1 August 2008 and 31 July 2012.SettingSingle centre tertiary care hospital in London (UK).Participants300 adult patients with non-haematological solid tumours requiring unplanned admission to the ICU.InterventionsNone.Primary and secondary outcomesHospital and 180-day survival.Results300 patients were admitted to the ICU (median age 66.5 years; 61.7% men). Survival to hospital discharge and 180 days were 69% and 47.8%, respectively. Greater number of failed organ systems on admission was associated with significantly worse hospital survival (p<0.001) but not with 180-day survival (p=0.24). In multivariate analysis, predictors of hospital mortality were the presence of metastases (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.59), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) Score (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.13) and a Glasgow Coma Scale Score <7 on admission to ICU (OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.65 to 16.43). Predictors of worse 180-day survival were the presence of metastases (OR 2.82, 95% CI 1.57 to 5.06), APACHE II Score (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.13) and sepsis (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.09 to 3.38).ConclusionsShort-term and medium-term survival in patients with solid tumours admitted to ICU is better than previously reported, suggesting that the presence of cancer alone should not be a barrier to ICU admission.