Six-Month Quality of Life in COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit Survivors

Likhvantsev, V.; Landoni, G.; Perekhodov, S.; Chaus, N.; Kadantseva, K.; Ermokhina, L.; Baeva, A.; Yadgarov, M.; Berikashvili, L.; Kuzovlev, A.; Grechko, A.

OBJECTIVE(S): : Since there is increasing evidence of serious deterioration in long-term Quality of Life (QoL) in COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, we identified predictors of poor quality of life in these patients. DESIGN: : Prospective cohort study. SETTING: : Research hospital repurposed in to a COVID-19 center. PARTICIPANTS: : Consecutive patients admitted in COVID-19 ICU between March and June 2020. INTERVENTIONS: : A SF-36 questionnaire, which includes physical and mental items, was used 6 months after patients discharge. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: : 403 patients were managed in the ICU with a hospital mortality of 181/403 (44.9%) while 16 (4.0%) further patients died within 6 months. Among the 125 questionnaire responders, only 32.0% and 52% had a normal quality of life in terms of the physical and mental component of health. Multivariable analysis identified low-molecular-weight heparin treatment in ICU as the only modifiable factor associated with an increase in physical component of QoL OR: 3.341 (95%CI 1.298-8.599), p=0.012, while age ≥52 years OR 0.223 and female sex OR 0.321 were significantly associated with a decrease in the physical component. Medical history of cerebrovascular insufficiency was significantly associated with a decrease in mental component of QoL OR: 0.125, while the only factor associated with an increase in the mental health component was BMI ≥ 27.6 kg / m2 OR 7.466. CONCLUSIONS: : In COVID-19 intensive care unit survivors we identified treatment with low molecular weight heparin as a predictor of improved physical component of QoL at 6-months.