Having two admissions to intensive care close together puts a strain on doctors that results in increased risk of patient death, US researchers warn.

Their study of more than 13,000 ICU admissions reveals a previously unknown risk of a near-simultaneous admission, the authors write in Intensive Care Medicine.

Patients who were admitted to the 24-bedded ICU within 55 minutes of a previous patient — which they classed as a near-simultaneous admission — had a 23% higher chance of dying in the unit than those admitted with a longer gap between them and the previous patient.

These patients also had a 20% higher risk of dying during their overall hospital stay, remained in ICU for an average of nearly four hours longer and were 9% less likely to be discharged to their own home (as opposed to residential care).