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Long-term sequelae of critical illness in sepsis, trauma and burns: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Valentin F Haug1, Christian Tapking, Adriana C Panayi
1From the Department of Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (V.F.H., C.T., P.T., C.H., U.K., G.H.), Microsurgery, Burn Center, BG Trauma Center Ludwigshafen, University of Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, Germany; Department of Plastic, Hand and Reconstructive Microsurgery (C.H.), Hand-Trauma and Replantation Center, BG Unfallklinik Frankfurt am Main gGmbH, Affiliated Hospital to the Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK) (P.M.), Partner site Heidelberg/Mannheim, Heidelberg; Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery (V.F.H., A.C.P., A.T.W., D.O.), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Molecular and Translational Cardiology (P.T.), and Department of Internal Medicine III (P.M.), University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; and Division of Molecular and Translational Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine III (P.M.), University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Background:
Sepsis, major trauma, and severe burn injury are life-threatening critical illnesses that remain significant contributors to worldwide morbidity and mortality. The three underlying etiologies share pathophysiological similarities: hyperinflammation, hypermetabolism, and acute immunomodulation. The aims of this study were to assess the current state of long-term outcome research and to identify key outcome parameters between the three forms of critical illness.
Methods:
This systematic review and meta-analysis (MA) were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. PubMed was searched from January 1, 1975, to December 31, 2019. Studies were assessed for eligibility by independent reviewers. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting at least a 6-month follow-up of health-related quality of life and organ-specific sequelae within the three etiologies: severe burn injury, sepsis, and major trauma.
Results:
In total, 125 articles could be included in the systematic review and 74 in the MA. The mean follow-up time was significantly longer in burn studies, compared with sepsis and trauma studies. The majority of patients were from the sepsis group, followed by burns, and major trauma studies. In the overall health-related quality of life, as assessed by Short Form 36 and European Quality-of-Life Index, the three different etiologies were comparable with one another.
Conclusion:
The effects of critical illness on survivors persist for years after hospitalization. Well-reported and reliable data on the long-term outcomes are imperative, as they can be used to determine the treatment choice of physicians and to guide the expectations of patients, improving the overall quality of care of three significant patient cohorts.
Level Of Evidence:
Systematic review and MA, level III.
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