To explore the determinant factors and prognostic significance of emergency department do-not-resuscitate (ED-DNR) orders for patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH).

Consecutive adult SICH patients treated in our ED from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2016 were selected as the eligible cases from our hospital's stroke database. Patients' information was comprehensively reviewed from the database and medical and nursing charts. ED-DNR orders were defined as DNR orders written during ED stay. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant determinants of ED-DNR orders. Thirty- and 90-day neurological outcomes were analyzed to test the prognosis impact of ED-DNR orders.

Among 835 enrolled patients, 112 (12.1%) had ED-DNR orders. Significant determinant factors of ED-DNR orders were age, ambulatory status before the event, brain computed tomography findings of midline shift, intraventricular extension, larger hematoma size, and ED arrival GCS ≤8. Patients with and without ED-DNR orders had a similar 30-day death rate if they had the same initial ICH score point. During 30 to 90days, patients with ED-DNR orders had a significantly increased mortality rate. However, the rate of improvement in neurological status between the two groups was not significantly different.

Older and sicker SICH patients had higher rate of ED-DNR orders. The mortality rates between patients with and without ED-DNR orders for each ICH score point were not significantly different. During the 30-to-90-day follow-up, the rates of neurological improvement in both groups were similar.