Survival and quality of life after intensive care

Abstract

Objective: To determine survival and changes in quality of life (QOL) after hospital discharge in patients who had stayed in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Design: Prospective study by direct interviews during ICU stay and 6 months after hospital discharge.

Setting: Surgical-medical ICU.

Patients and methods: We interviewed cooperative, adult patients admitted consecutively to the ICU for more than 24 h, living near the hospital, who gave informed consent. The following QOL domains were investigated: residence, physical activity, social life, perceived QOL, oral communication and functional limitation.

Results: One-year survival was 82.4% (predicted 84%). Mortality was 36.3% after urgent neoplastic surgery, 19.4% for medical admissions and 4.9% after non-neoplastic surgery. Of 160 patients studied, eight cases, older and already deteriorated at the first interview, could not respond to the perceived QOL item after ICU discharge. In the other 152 patients, physical activity was reduced in 31% (usually slightly), social life had worsened in 32% and functional limitation increased in 30%. The perceived QOL did not change.

Conclusions: After hospital discharge, the survival of ICU-admitted patients is comparable to that of the general population and not related to ICU treatments. Most patients maintain their physical activity and social status at the preadmission level. Any worsening, if present, is slight and does not influence perceived QOL.