ABSTRACT No data are available on outcomes of lymphoma patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. We retrospectively studied 190 patients admitted to our ICU between 2000 and 2010, before or during the first chemotherapy course for lymphoma. Reasons for ICU admission were renal failure (36%), shock (27%), respiratory failure (26%), coma (22%) and monitoring (12%). Mechanical ventilation was needed in 43% of patients, dialysis in 41%, vasoactive drugs in 30%. ICU, hospital, and 1-year mortality rates were 22%, 35%, and 51%, respectively. By multivariate analysis, factors associated with higher hospital mortality were age >50 years (odds ratio [OR], 2.23; 95% confidence interval [95%CI], 1.02-4.9), poor performance status (OR, 3.01; 95%CI, 1.47-6.54), high SOFA score (OR, 1.15/point; 95%CI, 1.04-1.27), hemophagocytic syndrome (OR, 2.57; 95%CI, 1.03-6.40), Burkitt's lymphoma (OR, 3.36; 95%CI, 1.38-8.19), and primary cerebral lymphoma (OR, 7.32; 95%CI, 1.06-50.54). Admission after 2004 was associated with better survival (OR, 0.35; 95%CI, 0.15-0.78).