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Long-term quality of life of patients treated in paediatric intensive care unit

Branka Polic1, Julije Mestrovic, Josko Markic

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Split, Spinciceva 1, 2100 Split, Croatia. branka.polic1@st.t-com.hr

European Journal of Pediatrics
|October 12, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Children treated in paediatric intensive care units (PICU) experience a significant decline in long-term quality of life (QOL). Comorbidities, particularly chronic health conditions, are key factors in diminished QOL after PICU discharge.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Intensive Care Medicine
  • Quality of Life Research
  • Child Health Outcomes

Background:

  • Children treated in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) may experience long-term effects on their quality of life (QOL).
  • Understanding the impact of critical illness and pre-existing conditions on pediatric QOL is crucial for comprehensive care.
  • Previous studies have explored short-term outcomes, but long-term QOL trajectories require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the long-term quality of life (QOL) of children following pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) treatment.
  • To assess the influence of pre-illness QOL, chronic health conditions (CHC), and illness severity on long-term pediatric outcomes.
  • To compare the QOL of PICU survivors with a control group of children from outpatient clinics.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 189 children treated in a PICU and 179 children from outpatient clinics were studied.
  • Quality of life was measured using the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children Measure of Function (RAHC MOF).
  • Illness severity was estimated using the Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 (PIM2).

Main Results:

  • 70% of PICU survivors reported good long-term QOL, but a significant decrease was observed compared to pre-admission scores and controls (p < 0.001).
  • Illness severity significantly impacted QOL at 6 months post-PICU (p = 0.016).
  • At 24 months post-discharge, 19% of PICU patients had decreased RAHC MOF scores, with significantly more in those with CHC (p = 0.029) and neurodevelopmental disabilities (p = 0.013).

Conclusions:

  • Acute illness significantly impacts the QOL of children with and without CHC 6 months after PICU treatment.
  • Comorbidity, especially chronic health conditions, is a decisive factor for diminished QOL in children 24 months after PICU discharge.
  • Long-term QOL assessment in pediatric critical care survivors should consider pre-existing health status and illness severity.
Abstract

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