Withholding and Withdrawal of Life Support in Mechanically Ventilated Stroke Patients

Background. The determinants of decisions to limit life support (withholding or withdrawal) in ventilated stroke patients have been poorly investigated.Methods. In a prospective multicenter observational cohort (2005-2016), we evaluated limitation of life support in ventilated stroke patients compared to a non-brain-injured population and identified factors associated with such decisions in stroke patients using Fine and Gray competing risk models.Results. We identified 373 stroke patients (ischemic, n=167 (45%); hemorrhagic, n=206 (55%)), and 5683 non-brain-injured patients. Decisions to limit life support were taken in 41% of ischemic stroke cases (vs. non-brain-injured patients, sHR 3.59 [95% CI 2.78-4.65]) and in 33% of hemorrhagic stroke cases (vs. non-brain-injured patients, sHR 3.9 [95% CI 2.97-5.11]). Time from ICU admission to the first limitation was longer in ischemic than in hemorrhagic stroke (5 [3 - 9] vs 2 [1 - 6] days, p<0.01). Limitation of life support preceded ICU death in 70% of ischemic strokes and 45% of hemorrhagic strokes (p<0.01). Life support limitation in ischemic stroke was associated with a vertebrobasilar location (vs. anterior circulation, sHR, 1.61 [95% CI 1.01 - 2.59]) and in hemorrhagic stroke, it was associated with an age>70 years (2.29 [1.43 - 3.69]), a Glasgow score<8 (2.15 [1.08 - 4.3]) and a lower non-neurologic admission SOFA score (per point, 0.89 [0.82 - 0.97]).Conclusions. In ventilated stroke patients, decisions to limit life support are more than 3 times more frequent than in non-brain injured patients, with different timing and associated risk factors between ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.