Research
Quality of life of survivors from severe sepsis and septic shock may be similar to that of others who survive critical illness
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* Corresponding author: Cristina Granja cristinagranja@oninet.pt
1 Intensivist, Consultant in Anesthesiology, Department of Intensive Care, Hospital Pedro Hispano, Matosinhos, Portugal
2 Research Assistant, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine of Oporto, Alameda Prof. Hernani Monteiro, Oporto, Portugal
3 Professor and Head of Department, Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine of Oporto, Alameda Prof. Hernani Monteiro, Oporto, Portugal
4 Associate Professor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine of Oporto, Alameda Prof. Hernani Monteiro, Oporto, and Head, Department of Intensive Care, Hospital Pedro Hispano, Matosinhos, Portugal
Critical Care 2004, 8:R91-R98 doi:
Published: 20 February 2004Abstract
Introduction
The objective of the present study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) of survivors from severe sepsis and septic shock with HR-QoL in others who survived critical illness not involving sepsis.
Methods
From March 1997 to March 2001, adult patients in an eight-bed medical/surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care hospital admitted with severe sepsis or septic shock (sepsis group; n = 305) were enrolled and compared with patients admitted without sepsis (control group; n = 392). Patients younger than 18 years (n = 48) and those whose ICU stay was 1 day or less (n = 453) were excluded. In addition, patients exhibiting nonsevere sepsis on admission were excluded (n = 87). Finally, patients who developed nonsevere sepsis or severe sepsis/septic shock after admission were also excluded (n = 88).
Results
In-hospital mortality rates were 34% in the sepsis group and 26% in the control group. There were no differences in sex, age, main activity (work status), and previous health state between groups. Survivors in the sepsis group had a significantly higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score on admission (17 versus 12) and stayed significantly longer in the ICU. A follow-up appointment was held 6 months after ICU discharge, and an EQ-5D (EuroQol five-dimension) questionnaire was administered. A total of 104 sepsis survivors and 133 survivors in the control group answered the EQ-5D questionnaire. Sepsis survivors reported significantly fewer problems only in the anxiety/depression dimension. Although there were no significant differences in the other dimensions of the EQ-5D, there was a trend towards fewer problems being reported by sepsis survivors.
Conclusion
Evaluation using the EQ-5D at 6 months after ICU discharge indicated that survivors from severe sepsis and septic shock have a similar HR-QoL to that of survivors from critical illness admitted without sepsis.