ABSTRACT
For critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who require intensive care unit (ICU) admission, extremely high mortality rates (even 97%) have been reported. We hypothesized that overburdened hospital resources by the extent of the pandemic rather than the disease per se might play an important role on unfavorable prognosis. We sought to determine the outcome of such patients admitted to the general ICUs of a hospital with sufficient resources. We performed a prospective observational study of adult patients with COVID-19 consecutively admitted to COVID-designated ICUs at Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece. Among 50 patients, ICU and hospital mortality was 32% (16/50). Median PaO2/FiO2 was 121 mmHg (interquartile range (IQR), 86-171 mmHg) and most patients had moderate or severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Hospital resources may be an important aspect of mortality rates, since severely ill COVID-19 patients with moderate and severe ARDS may have understandable mortality, provided that they are admitted to general ICUs without limitations on hospital resources.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate health-related quality of life and disability in multiple-trauma patients requiring intensive care unit management. DESIGN: A total of 87 survivors of multiple trauma, with a median age of 31 yrs and a median Injury Severity Score of 22, were enrolled in the present study. The Nottingham Health Profile, Glasgow Outcome Scale, and Rosser Disability Scale were used to assess the functional consequences of trauma 1 yr after intensive care unit discharge. RESULTS: A total of 64 of 87 patients had a problem in at least one of the six domains related to subjective health status. The most prevalent complaint was related to somatic subdimensions, but emotional functioning was also affected. Nottingham Health Profile part 2 showed that 63 of the survivors experienced problems in at least one of the daily activities. Of particular importance, inability to work was reported by 47% of the patients. Fifty-nine percent experienced moderate-to-severe disability as evaluated by Glasgow Outcome Scale and Rosser Disability Scale. High aggregate injury severity score along with severe head trauma were independent predictors of poor health-related quality of life and disability. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of survivors of major trauma exhibit considerable levels of disability and impairment in health-related quality of life. Global injury severity score and degree of brain trauma determine functional limitations. This information may help in organizing long-term rehabilitation of multiple-trauma patients.