Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2025
Home-Based Prescribed Pulmonary Exercise in Patients with Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Published on: August 24, 2019
Long-term quality of life and work ability among severe COVID-19 survivors: A multicenter study
Anshul Jain1, Prashant Gupta2, Apurva Abhinandan Mittal3
1Department of Anaesthesiology, Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi 284128, India.
Insights
Severe COVID-19 survivors experience long-term psychological issues and poor quality of life, even after recovery. This study highlights the lasting impact of critical illness on survivors
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents with variable severity and high infectivity.
- Severe COVID-19 cases often require prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stays, impacting long-term patient well-being.
- Understanding the persistent effects of severe COVID-19 on survivors is crucial for comprehensive healthcare.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the long-term impact of severe COVID-19 on Quality of Life (QOL).
- To evaluate persistent effects on sleep patterns, behavior, and workability in severe COVID-19 survivors.
- To investigate the prevalence of psychological disorders and their correlation with critical illness duration.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter, cross-sectional study involving 491 participants aged 20-60 admitted to the ICU for severe COVID-19.
- Participants were assessed at least 1.5 years post-discharge using validated questionnaires including EUROHIS-QOL, Workability Score, sleep quality, Major Depression Inventory (MDI), and GAD-7.
- A subjective global health status scale was used to compare current health with pre-COVID-19 status.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in obesity, diabetes, and hypertension was noted compared to discharge status.
- Mean QOL (EUROHIS-QOL score: 3.28±0.98) and workability (6.87±0.85) scores were significantly impaired.
- High prevalence of psychological distress was observed, with mean MDI (4.12±1.45) and anxiety (GAD-7: 18.63±3.28) scores indicating significant issues.
Conclusions:
- Severe COVID-19 survivors frequently develop new-onset psychological disorders and sleep disturbances.
- Long-term quality of life and work ability remain significantly compromised following prolonged ICU admission due to severe COVID-19.
- There is a critical need for long-term follow-up and support for severe COVID-19 survivors to address persistent physical and mental health challenges.
Background:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is known for its variable severity and high infectivity. Though fewer than 15% of infected cases develop severe disease, a major proportion had prolonged stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Prolonged ICU stay is known to have a long-term impact on behavior and quality of life.8 Therefore, it is likely that patients discharged after severe COVID-19 have issues that persist for long term. The current study aimed to assess the long-term impact of severe COVID-19 on the Quality of life (QOL), sleep pattern, behavior, and workability.
Methods:
The current multicenter study adopted a cross-sectional design to analyze data from two tertiary care COVID-19 dedicated hospitals. All experimental procedures were approved by the ethics committee of the M.L.B Medical College. Participants were 20-60 age group who had been admitted to the ICU because of severe COVID-19 and had elapsed at least one and a half year since their discharge. After informed written consent the participants were assessed for: EUROHIS-QOL 8-item index; Workability Score; Quality of sleep; The major depression inventory (MDI) questionnaire; Generalized anxiety disorder 7 item scale (GAD-7); Current global health status score: an innovative subjective scale (1 -10) to determine the current global health status when 5 is the status before COVID-19.
Findings:
491 participants were assessed, the median follow-up time after discharge from the hospital was 561·0 days (range, 548-580 days). The mean duration of ICU stay was 8.72 ± 2.85 days. There was significant reduction in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension as compared with discharge time. The mean of EUROHIS-QOL score, workability score, current global health status score was 3.28 ± 0.98, 6.87 ± 0.85, 4.53 ± 1.36 respectively. The mean MDI and anxiety scores were 4.12 ± 1.45 and 18.63 ± 3.28, respectively.
Interpretation:
Severe COVID-19 survivors have new-onset psychological disorders and sleep disturbances. Long term quality of life and work ability remains poor after prolong ICU admission secondary to severe COVID-19.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
01:25Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-III: Symptoms and Complications.
Symptoms of COPD can be classified as primary or systemic. Primary symptoms relate to reduced airflow, while systemic or extrapulmonary symptoms relate to COPD's broader impact on the body.
Primary Symptoms of COPD:
01:22Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Smoking is a primary risk factor for COPD, with over 80% of patients having a history of it. Patients typically experience progressive dyspnea or labored breathing, frequent coughing, and recurrent pulmonary infections. Many eventually succumb to respiratory failure, characterized by...
01:29Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-V: Management
Smoking Cessation
01:03Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over...
01:21Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include: