Table 1 Baseline characteristics in the total cohort, nonagenarians versus octogenarians

Male sex n (%)

339 (43%)

3812 (54%)

< 0.001

 median (±IQR)

91 (90–93)

83 (81–86)

< 0.001

 median (±IQR)

5 (4–6)

4 (3–6)

< 0.001

 Frailty (CFS > 4) n (%)

454 (58)

2962 (42)

< 0.001

 median (±IQR)

5 (3–6)

6 (4–6)

< 0.001

 Disability (ADL ≤4)

151 (44)

805 (26)

< 0.001

 median (±IQR)

3.5 (3–4)

3.2 (3–4)

< 0.001

 Cognitive Decline (IQCODE ≥3.5)

149 (50)

812 (31)

< 0.001

 SOFA score

6 (4–9)

7 (4–10)

< 0.001

 median (±IQR)

 median (±IQR)

84 (24–117)

54 (37–186)

< 0.001

 Treatment withdrawn and/or withheld (%)

312 (40)

2302 (33)

< 0.001

 NIV n (%)

168 (21)

1794 (23)

0.03

 Intubation n (%)

324 (41)

3685 (52)

< 0.001

 Renal replacement therapy n (%)

33 (4)

816 (12)

< 0.001

 Vasoactive drugs n (%)

414 (52)

4179 (59)

0.002

Admission diagnosis n (%)

< 0.001

 Respiratory failure

155 (20)

1745 (23)

 Circulatory failure

136 (17)

968 (14)

 Combined circulatory & respiratory failure

104 (13)

825 (12)

 Sepsis

74 (9)

966 (14)

 Multitrauma w/o Head Injury

23 (3)

128 (2)

 Trauma with Head Injury

18 (2)

124 (2)

 Head Injury

29 (4)

166 (2)

 Intoxication

1 (< 1)

36 (< 1)

 Cerebral Injury (Non-Traumatic)

38 (5)

469 (7)

 Emergency Surgery

91 (12)

817 (12)

 Other

91 (12)

866 (12)