Does intubation really equal death in cirrhotic patients? Factors influencing outcome in patients with liver cirrhosis requiring mechanical ventilation.

Objective: It is not known whether the poor outcome of ventilated cirrhotic patients is related to the severity of the underlying liver disease or to the severity of the acute illness for which ICU care is required. This study examines parameters both of chronic liver disease and of acute illness with regard to their influence on outcome in mechanically ventilated cirrhotic patients.

Design And Setting: Retrospective observational case series in a 9-bed medical ICU in an academic tertiary care center.