Health-related Quality of Life and Functional Impairments After Intensive Care Unit Discharge

Diagnostic and therapeutic progress of the last twenty years has been accompanied by an evolution in the morbidity and mortality of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. While there has been an overall decrease in mortality in the ICU, nearly 20% of patients die within one year after ICU discharge and survivors are marked by an increase in morbidity. Indeed, independently of the initial disease, it is currently recognized that an admission to the ICU can be experienced as a traumatic situation, with potential physical, psychological and cognitive impairments that can be described by the term "post-intensive care syndrome" (PICS). This results in a decrease in quality of life compared to the general population. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL)has received increasing attention in the literature. Thus, many studies have been interested in its evaluation, in particular in certain pathologies such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, cardiac arrest or in patients with onco-hematological diseases. Paradoxically, few studies have described the HRQoL and the elements of the PICS in the overall population of patients admitted to the ICU. However, a better understanding of these elements could allow us to propose improvement strategies to facilitate the rehabilitation of these patients.