Long-term consequences in critically ill COVID-19 patients: A prospective cohort study

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Pulmonology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Severe COVID-19 often necessitates intensive care unit (ICU) admission for prolonged respiratory support.
• Long-term consequences of critical COVID-19 require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare functional outcomes and health-related quality of life in COVID-19 survivors based on the type of respiratory support received in the ICU.
• To assess long-term sequelae 5 months after ICU discharge.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, single-center follow-up study of 113 COVID-19 ICU survivors.
• Comparison between patients receiving invasive ventilation versus high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) or non-invasive ventilation (NIV).
• Assessment included quality of life questionnaires, pulmonary function tests, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and work ability.

Main Results:

• Most survivors reported impaired health-related quality of life, with about one-third experiencing psychological distress (PTSD, anxiety, depression).
• Twenty-six percent had reduced lung capacity, and 34% showed reduced 6MWT performance.
• Outcomes were generally similar between invasive and non-invasive ventilation groups, though invasive ventilation was linked to more bodily pain and reduced lung capacity.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 survivors requiring respiratory support in the ICU show similar functional and quality-of-life outcomes 5 months post-discharge, irrespective of invasive or non-invasive ventilation.
• Significant long-term morbidity exists among critical COVID-19 survivors.