A new study of 13,000 patients in 199 ICUs in 36 countries found that limitation of life-sustaining therapies is common worldwide with regional variability. The authors hope that recognizing regional differences and the reasons behind these differences might improve end-of-life care worldwide.
Limitation of life-sustaining treatment occurred in 10,401 patients (81%). The most common limitation was withholding life-sustaining treatment (44%), followed by withdrawing life-sustaining treatment (36%).
More treatment withdrawing was observed in Northern Europe and Australia/New Zealand than in Latin America and Africa. Factors associated with treatment limitations were region, age, and diagnoses (acute and chronic), and country end-of-life legislation.
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