Analysis of early death in critically ill patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia in HICU

This study was conducted to identify the characteristics and risk factors for early death of the critically ill acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) patients in Hemato-oncologyical ICU (HICU). A total of 44 APL patients from 2017 to 2023 were recruited. The mortality of APL patients in HICU was high (27/44, 61.36%). In comparison to patients who survived, nonsurvivors had longer PT ( P  = 0.02), lower FIB ( P  = 0.004), and higher WBC ( P  = 0.004) at hosipital admission. Severe bleeding was the most frequent complication (34 cases, 77.27%), which occurred either pre-induction or on day 5 (IQR, 3-7.5 days) of induction therapy. The leading cause of death was fatal hemorrhage (18 cases, 40.90%), which occurred either pre-induction or on day 4 (IQR, 3–7 days) of induction therapy. In conclusion, the primary cause of mortality for APL patients in the HICU was fatal bleeding, whereas patients who experienced severe bleeding were more likely to die from secondary infection.