Introduction: Mass casualty incidents (MCI) elevate the demand for ICU admissions. With limited resources and many injured, prioritizing and triaging patients is essential. However, there are no standardized criteria for ICU admissions during MCIs. This study aimed to identify the criteria for ICU admission during mass casualty incidents.
Methods: This study used a scoping review based on the PRISMA 2020 protocol. Searches were conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases using specific keywords, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria for relevant references through December 2024. A manual search of Google Scholar, books, and reference lists was also performed. EndNote software version 20 was used for data management.
Results: Of the 298 studies reviewed, 18 were ultimately selected, resulting in the identification of practical criteria for admitting patients to the intensive care unit during mass casualty incidents. These criteria were summarized and categorized into seven components: respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disorders, neurological disorders, injuries and bleeding, multisystem issues, probability of survival, and diagnostic tests.
Conclusions: This scoping review first determines ICU admission criteria from MCI-specific literature within a seven-component framework. It highlights components and criteria of the respiratory (respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, need for mechanical ventilation), cardiovascular (systolic blood pressure, pulse rate, inotropic medications), and nervous systems (Glasgow Coma Scale) as the three most frequently cited areas. These criteria may support faster and more informed ICU admission decisions and may help researchers develop guidelines or triage tools for ICU admission during mass casualty incidents.