摘要Background:The decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments is a pivotal facet of end-of-life care for patients.Previous research has revealed substantial global disparities in this issue,with limited investigations conducted in China.Methods:A retrospective study investigating the prevalence of withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments at an intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital from January 2013 to May 2018 was conducted to elucidate the associated characteristics.The primary outcome measure was the prevalence of withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments.The secondary measures were the demographic and clinical data.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine associations between the clinical characteristics and the decision-making.Results:This analysis included 437 patients,of which 372(85.1％)experienced withholding or withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments.Older age(odds ratio[OR]:1.03;95％ confidence interval[CI]:1.01-1.05),rural residence(OR:2.92;95％ CI:1.17-7.32),belonging to the local province(OR:1.38;95％ CI:1.22-1.57),lower per capita income group(OR:3.59;95％ CI:2.52-5.09),and a primary diagnosis of trauma(OR:4.95;95％ CI:1.19-20.64),neurosurgical disorder(OR:4.42;95％ CI:1.76-11.06),or neurological disorder(OR:12.33;95％CI:1.56-97.52)were significantly associated with the decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatments.Conclusion:Withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatments may vary based on factors such as age,residential location,per capita income,and the primary diagnosis.It is imperative that healthcare policymakers acknowledge these variations and consider the lo-cal ethical norms and cultural practices when facing this issue.