Quality of life 9 years after an intensive care unit stay: a long-term outcome study

The purpose of the study was to assess long-term mortality after an intensive care unit (ICU) stay and to test the hypotheses that (1) quality of life improves over time and (2) predictions of outcome made by caregivers during an ICU stay are reliable.

Data from a 6-bed university medical ICU were reviewed. Telephone assessment of mortality and interviews/questionnaires 9 years after an ICU stay were performed. Comparison of caregivers' predictions of survival/quality of life with reported outcome was done.

Of 409 patients surviving 6 months after ICU, 334 were included and 146 of these had died. Age, diagnostic group, and severity of illness were significant factors for mortality (P < .0001 for all 3). Of all survivors, 59% described their overall quality of life as good and 35% as fair. Physical dependency was significantly related to length of hospital stay (P < .01), whereas quality of life was related to admission age (P < .05). Caregivers' predictions concerning both survival and quality of life seemed reliable, with physicians' predictions being more reliable than nurses' (P < .05).

Mortality is high 9 years after ICU stay. Quality of life may deteriorate for some individuals; however, overall quality of life for most survivors remains acceptable and may even improve. Long-term outcome predictions made by caregivers during the ICU stay seem accurate.