Intra-abdominal hypertension is not reliable as an early predictor of mortality in the intensive care unit.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of intra-abdominal hypertension and its prognostic value in critical patients. METHODS: In an observational study, 56 patients of a multidisciplinary intensive care unit (ICU) of a university hospital, with either surgical (44.6%) or medical (55.4%) diagnoses, were studied. Intra-abdominal pressure was quantified daily by bladder pressure method from the first to the eighth day of hospitalization. RESULTS: The mean intra-abdominal pressure at admission was 9.97+/-5.26 mmHg; 41% of patients suffered moderate intra-abdominal hypertension (defined as intra-abdominal pressure greater than 11 mmHg) at admission. On day 1 mean intra-abdominal pressure was not significantly different between the patients who died and those who survived (9.69+/-5.06 mmHg vs 10.12+/-5.57 mmHg respectively), but by measuring IAP until day 8 it was possible to distinguish a subgroup of patients who showed a persistently elevated intra-abdominal pressure, developed further complications, later died (12.5+/-4.37 mmHg vs 7.17+/-2.02 mmHg, P=0.022). CONCLUSION: Intra-abdominal pressure does not have prognostic value at ICU admission, but may predict bad outcomes later during the ICU stay. Intra-abdominal hypertension is a frequent and rarely recognized event in the ICU which can be monitored by the bladder pressure method throughout the period of hospitalization.