title: Long-term treated intensive care patients outcomes: the one-year mortality rate, quality of life, health care use and long-term complications as reported by general practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to determine the one-year mortality rate and its predictors regarding long-term intensive care-treated patients together with their health-related quality of life (HRQL), place of living, healthcare use and long-term complication characteristics after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was performed in a 20-bed mixed ICU. The patients that were treated for more than 72 h between 2007 and 2012 were included in this study. The one-year mortality rate was calculated, and the characteristics of the ICU survivors that died within one year after ICU discharge were further analysed. For all patients, the Dutch version of the SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess their current HRQL. The results were compared with a normal population. Additionally, patients were questioned about their place of living, and their general practitioners (GPs) were questioned about the patients' possible long-term complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven hundred and forty patients were included in this study, and their one-year mortality rate was 28 %, of which half died within the first week after ICU discharge. The one-year mortality rate predictors included age at the time of ICU admission, APACHE IV-predicted mortality score, number of comorbidities and ICU re-admissions. The ICU survivor HRQL was significantly lower compared with the normal population. Half of the patients did not return to their pre-hospital place of living, and numerous possible long-term complications were reported, particularly decreased tolerance, chronic fatigue and processing problems of relatives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One-year mortality rate of long-term ICU-treated patient was 28 %, and this was predicted by age, disease severity, comorbidities and ICU re-admissions. The ICU survivors reported a lower HRQL, and a minority of these patients returned home directly after hospital discharge; however, GPs reported numerous possible long-term complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, PO box 95500, 1090 HM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. simone_steenbergen@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Steenbergen
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, PO box 95500, 1090 HM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. s.rijkenberg@olvg.nl.
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rijkenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, PO box 95500, 1090 HM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. tamara.adonis@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Adonis
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, PO box 95500, 1090 HM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. g.kroeze@olvg.nl.
authors.forename: Gerda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kroeze
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, PO box 95500, 1090 HM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. i.vanstijn@olvg.nl.
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: van Stijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis, PO box 95500, 1090 HM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. h.endeman@olvg.nl.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endeman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000639:trends*; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome