The impact of COVID-19 critical illness on new disability, functional outcomes and return to work at 6 months: A prospective cohort study
Publication Details
Hodgson, C. L.,
Higgins, A. M.,
Bailey, M. J.,
Mather, A. M.,
Beach, L.,
Bellomo, R.,
Bissett, B.,
Boden, I. J.,
Bradley, S.,
Burrell, A.,
Cooper, D. J.,
Fulcher, B. J.,
Haines, K. J.,
Hopkins, J.,
Jones, A. Y.,
Lane, S.,
Lawrence, D.,
van der Lee, L.,
Liacos, J.,
Linke, N. J.,
Gomes, L. M.,
Nickels, M.,
Ntoumenopoulos, G.,
Myles, P. S.,
Patman, S.,
Paton, M.,
Pound, G.,
Rai, S.,
Rix, A.,
Rollinson, T. C.,
Sivasuthan, J.,
Tipping, C. J.,
Thomas, P.,
Trapani, T.,
Udy, A. A.,
Whitehead, C.,
Hodgson, I. T.,
Anderson, S.,
Neto, A.,
&
and The COVID-Recovery Study Investigators and the ANZICS Clinical Trials Group
(2021).
The impact of COVID-19 critical illness on new disability, functional outcomes and return to work at 6 months: A prospective cohort study.
Critical Care, 25.
Abstract
Background: There are few reports of new functional impairment following critical illness from COVID-19. We aimed to describe the incidence of death or new disability, functional impairment and changes in health-related quality of life of patients after COVID-19 critical illness at 6 months.
Methods: In a nationally representative, multicenter, prospective cohort study of COVID-19 critical illness, we determined the prevalence of death or new disability at 6 months, the primary outcome. We measured mortality, new disability and return to work with changes in the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 12L (WHODAS) and health status with the EQ5D-5LTM.
Results: Of 274 eligible patients, 212 were enrolled from 30 hospitals. The median age was 61 (51–70) years, and 124 (58.5%) patients were male. At 6 months, 43/160 (26.9%) patients died and 42/108 (38.9%) responding survivors reported new disability. Compared to pre-illness, the WHODAS percentage score worsened (mean difference (MD), 10.40% [95% CI 7.06–13.77]; pp
Conclusions: At six months after COVID-19 critical illness, death and new disability was substantial. Over a third of survivors had new disability, which was widespread across all areas of functioning.
Keywords
intensive care, disability, COVID-19, mechanical ventilation, long-term outcome
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