Table 2 Processes of care, tracheostomy data, and clinical outcomes
|  | Quartile 1 Tracheostomy ≤ 15 days (n = 26) | Quartile 2 Tracheostomy 16–19 days (n = 23) | Quartile 3 Tracheostomy 20–26 days (n = 25) | Quartile 4 Tracheostomy > 26 days (n = 24) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Renal replacement therapy | 17 (65.4%) | 15 (65.2%) | 19 (76.0%) | 13 (54.2%) | 0.471 |
Use of steroids | 6 (23.1%) | 4 (17.4%) | 6 (24%) | 9 (37.5%) | 0.463 |
Initiation of enteral nutrition, day | 3 (2–6) | 4 (2–5) | 3 (3–5) | 5 (3–8) | 0.472 |
Rehabilitation program | 21 (80.8%) | 18 (78.3%) | 20 (80.0%) | 17 (70.8%) | 0.849 |
Initiation of rehabilitation program, day | 23 (16–30) | 25 (19–34) | 32 (25–41) | 41 (30–64) | 0.002 |
Duration of mechanical ventilation before tracheostomy, days | 9.0 (7.0–12.8) | 17.0 (15.5–18.0) | 22.0 (21.0–25.0) | 39.5 (33.5–57.3) |  < 0.001 |
Type of tracheostomy | |||||
 Surgical tracheostomy | 26 (100%) | 23 (100%) | 25 (100%) | 24 (100%) | 0.977 |
 Percutaneous tracheostomy | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | |
Tracheostomy during ECMO | 8 (30.8%) | 10 (43.5%) | 9 (36.0%) | 8 (33.3%) | 0.824 |
Complications after tracheostomy | |||||
 Bleeding requiring blood transfusion or intervention | 4 (15.4%) | 3 (13.0%) | 2 (8.0%) | 4 (16.7%) | 0.845 |
 Tracheal/esophageal injury | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | N/A |
 Stoma infection | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | N/A |
 Mediastinitis | 1 (3.8%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1.000 |
 Pneumonia | 1 (3.8%) | 3 (13.0%) | 2 (8.0%) | 1 (4.2%) | 0.556 |
Duration of mechanical ventilation, days | 27.6 (13.7–36.8) | 33.0 (22.5–45.3) | 38.1 (31.9–62.6) | 70.6 (46.9–103.4) |  < 0.001 |
Occurrence of VAP | 9 (34.6%) | 6 (26.1%) | 9 (36.0%) | 9 (37.5%) | 0.849 |
Liberation from mechanical ventilation during ICU stay | 16 (61.5%) | 12 (52.2%) | 11 (44.0%) | 9 (37.5%) | 0.365 |
Duration of ECMO, days | 5.5 (3.0–17.5) | 9.0 (7.0–20.5) | 11.0 (10.0–39.0) | 31.5 (13.0–59.3) |  < 0.001 |
Length of ICU stay, days | 30.8 (19.2–53.9) | 35.7 (23.5–49.7) | 43.5 (36.1–63.9) | 79.6 (53.8–110.9) |  < 0.001 |
Length of hospital stay, days | 78.5 (52.5–100.8) | 101.0 (59.5–239.5) | 102.0 (59.0–206.0) | 127.5 (88.8–214.3) | 0.052 |
Patient status at hospital discharge | |||||
 Discharged home or to a nursing-care facility | 7 (26.9%) | 5 (21.7%) | 11 (44.0%) | 3 (12.5%) | 0.086 |
 Transferred to other hospital | 14 (53.8%) | 10 (43.5%) | 6 (24.0%) | 9 (37.5%) | |
 Death | 5 (19.2%) | 8 (34.8%) | 8 (32.0%) | 12 (50.0%) | |
Mechanical ventilation on hospital discharge among survivor | 2/21 (9.5%) | 0/15 (0%) | 1/17 (5.9%) | 3/12 (25.0%) | 0.181 |