Health-related quality of life as a prognostic factor of survival in critically ill patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether health-related quality of life prior to admission into an intensive care unit (ICU) is a prognostic factor of hospital and 1 year mortality.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Fourteen-bed medical-surgical ICU.


METHODS
A total of 377 patients admitted to the ICU for more than 24 h with 1-year follow-up after discharge from the hospital.


METHODS
A health-related quality of life (HRQoL) survey was conducted, using the questionnaire developed by the "Project for the Epidemiological Analysis of Critical Care Patients", to assess patient's quality of life 1 month before ICU hospitalization.


RESULTS
Hospital mortality was independently associated with severity assessed by APACHE II, odds ratio (OR) 1.14 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-1.2; P < 0.001], high workload assessed by Nine Equivalents of Nursing Manpower Score > 30 OR 3.6 (95% CI 1.4-9.0; P = 0.006), hospital length of stay prior to ICU admission of more than 2 days OR 2.6 (95% CI 1.3-5.4; P = 0.008), and bad quality of life prior to ICU admission assessed by a HRQoL score > or = 8 points OR 2.2 (95% CI 1.03-4.5; P = 0.04). Patients who scored > or =8 on the HRQoL survey presented a risk of demise 12 months after discharge almost twofold that of those who had good previous HRQoL (0-2 points), Hazard Ratio 1.9 (95% CI 1.3-2.8; P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Bad quality of life is associated with hospital mortality and survival 12 months after hospital discharge.
Iribarren-Diarasarri
Sebastián
S
Intensive Care Unit, Hospital Txagorritxu, Calle Jose Atxotegi s/n, 01009 Vitoria, Spain. sebastian.iribarrendiarasarri@osakidetza.net
Aizpuru-Barandiaran
Felipe
F
Muñoz-Martínez
Tomás
T
Loma-Osorio
Angel
A
Hernández-López
Marianela
M
Ruiz-Zorrilla
José María
JM
Castillo-Arenal
Carlos
C
Dudagoitia-Otaolea
Juan Luis
JL
Martínez-Alutiz
Sergio
S
Vinuesa-Lozano
Cristina
C
D016638:Critical Illness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*