QUALITY-OF-LIFE AFTER INTENSIVE-CARE

The outcome of intensive care is related to patient selection and case -mix. Especially when assessing QOL, the results should be interpreted in the context of age and the cause of intensive care admission. Only a few QOL studies so far have databases which are large enough to cha racterize the outcome in specific patient groups. The influence of pre existing chronic diseases should be taken into account as well. A far more difficult issue is how to screen for differences in socioeconomic background. Problems in physical functioning seem to be common among ICU patients in general, but among younger patients the psychosocial p roblems are also dominant. While the QOL after intensive care as compa red with reference values may be better perceived among older patients , the previously healthy and younger ones tend to experience more limi tations. The reason for intensive care presumably has impact on the pa ttern of convalescence. A better understanding of the natural history of recovery from critical illness may help to identify those patients who need more intensive rehabilitation.