Six-Month Quality of Life in COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit Survivors

Abstract

Objective(s) : Since there is increasing evidence of serious deterioration in long-term Quality of Life (QoL) in COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, we identified predictors of poor quality of life in these patients. Design : Prospective cohort study. Setting : Research hospital repurposed in to a COVID-19 center. Participants : Consecutive patients admitted in COVID-19 ICU between March and June 2020. Interventions : A SF-36 questionnaire, which includes physical and mental items, was used 6 months after patients discharge. Measurements and Main Results : 403 patients were managed in the ICU with a hospital mortality of 181/403 (44.9%) while 16 (4.0%) further patients died within 6 months. Among the 125 questionnaire responders, only 32.0% and 52% had a normal quality of life in terms of the physical and mental component of health. Multivariable analysis identified low-molecular-weight heparin treatment in ICU as the only modifiable factor associated with an increase in physical component of QoL OR: 3.341 (95%CI 1.298-8.599), p=0.012, while age ≥52 years OR 0.223 and female sex OR 0.321 were significantly associated with a decrease in the physical component. Medical history of cerebrovascular insufficiency was significantly associated with a decrease in mental component of QoL OR: 0.125, while the only factor associated with an increase in the mental health component was BMI ≥ 27.6 kg / m2 OR 7.466. Conclusions : In COVID-19 intensive care unit survivors we identified treatment with low molecular weight heparin as a predictor of improved physical component of QoL at 6-months.

Physical and psychological impairment in survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…At 6month follow-up, the mean (±SD) muscle strength, as a percentage of maximum MRC sumscore, was 92% (±8%), with 8% (13 of 169) having ICU-acquired weakness 66 . The composite MMT score was noted to increase over time [from 50 (42)(43)(44)(45)(46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53) at hospital discharge to 57 (53-60) at 24 months] 21 , however 92% of survivors experienced a decline in muscle strength for 5 years follow-up 62 .…”

Health-Related Quality of Life of COVID-19 Survivors Treated in Intensive Care Unit—Prospective Observational Study

“… 24 On the other hand, another study showed that male patients had lower QoL both in short-term and long-term follow-up. 20 Likhvantsev et al 26 reported that male patients had better QoL scores in physical domains, while there was no difference in mental domains using the SF-36 questionnaire. Another study by Halpin et al 16 analyzed QoL in patients treated in hospital wards as well as those treated in ICU.…”

Longitudinal changes in mental health outcomes after COVID-19 hospitalization: A prospective study

“…However, SF-36 scores did not significantly change during the study period for participants overall. In the cross-sectional studies, patients with COVID-19 were reported to have lower scores in various domains of both physical and mental health QoL [ 31 , 32 ]. However, no longitudinal studies exist on temporal trends of SF-36 scores in patients with COVID-19.…”