Epidemiological Profile of ICU Mortality at the Lubumbashi University Teaching Hospital, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Purpose ICUs are the places where patients requiring organ support are admitted, for this reason they are many deaths. The inefficiency of DR Congo health system and the deplorable socio-economic situation can affect the ICU outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess mortality risk factors in a polyvalent intensive care unit Methods A retrospective cross sectional study was carried out on data collected from 2013 to 2015 in the Lubumbashi University Teaching Hospital ICU. Results Of the 453 patients admitted to the unit, there were 198 deaths and a hospital mortality rate of 43.7 %. Mortality was significantly associated with source of admission (Internal Medicine, OR = 6.73 [2.64-17.15]), age (30-49 years OR = 3.25 [1.23-8.56], 50-69 years OR = 4 [1.50-10.61], 70 years OR = 3.6 [1.41-11.12]), Length of stay (less than1day OR = 11.73 [3.74-36.74], 1-4 days OR = 3.2 [1.60-5.70]), admission diagnoses including cardiovascular diseases (OR = 29.3 [7.95-186.63]), cranial trauma (OR = 18.3 [3.81-140.78]), infectious diseases (OR = 26.81 [7.14-172.80], tumor diseases (OR = 46, 78 [9, 47-368, 65]), Acute Kidney Injury (OR = 34, 25 [6, 18-291, 12]), and uncontrolled diabetes (OR = 27.75 [7.06-184.24]). Patients who were deceased were on average older than those who survived (48.46 18.67 years versus 41.24 20.39 years, p = 0.0001). Conclusion Mortality in the UTH ICU in Lubumbashi is mainly due to non-communicable diseases, which therefore require special attention. Mortality is also associated with internal medicine source of admission and mostly with cardiovascular diseases and old age of patients.