title: [Analysis of quality of life following hospital discharge among survivors of severe sepsis and septic shock].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe the impact of severe sepsis and septic shock on patients' quality of life following hospital discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled study conducted in two general hospitals of Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil, of in-patients with severe sepsis or septic shock during the period of August 2005 through November 2007. The patients were contacted by telephone between June and November 2009. The study group responded to Short Form-36, a questionnaire on the quality of life, two years after being discharged from hospital. The questionnaire was also answered by a control group composed of people who lived at the same residence as the study subjects, had no recent hospitalization, and were close in age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 217 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, 112 (51.6%) survived hospitalization. The survival rate after hospital discharge was 41.02% at 180 days, 37.4% at one year, 34.3% at 18 months, and 32.3% in two years. Thirty-six survivors responded to Short Form-36. There were declines in the quality of life for survivors (No. = 36) in comparison to the control group (No. = 36) in the following areas: physical functioning (59 ± 32 versus 91 ± 18; P < 0.001), vitality (48 ± 13 versus 59 ± 14; P < 0.008), mental health (48 ± 13 versus 59 ± 14; P < 0.03), bodily pain (50 ± 26 versus 76 ± 16; P < 0.001), general health perceptions (53 ± 18 versus 67 ± 13; P < 0.004), physical role functioning (67 ± 45 versus 85 ± 34; P < 0.05), and social role functioning (70 ± 28 versus 90. ± 16; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe sepsis or septic shock can result in significant negative effects on the quality of life, in addition to reducing long-term survival probability.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Municipal São José, Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Glauco Adrieno
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.forename: Kalinca Daberkow
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orzechowski
authors.forename: Keitiane Michele
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kaefer
authors.forename: Viviane Renata
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Zaclikevis
authors.forename: Marco Fabio
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mastroeni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011788:Quality of Life; D018805:Sepsis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012772:Shock, Septic; D017741:Survivors