Abstract
BackgroundFor many survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the process from discharge from intensive care unit (ICU) to recovery is long and difficult. However, healthcare use after discharge from ICU has received only little attention by research. This study sets out to investigate the extent of ambulatory and stationary healthcare use among survivors of ARDS in Germany (multicenter DACAPO cohort) and to analyze predictors of stationary healthcare use.ResultsA total of 396 survivors of ARDS provided data at 1 year after discharge from ICU. Fifty percent of 1-year survivors were hospitalized for 48 days or longer after discharge from ICU, with 10% spending more than six out of 12 months in stationary care. The duration of hospitalization increased significantly by the length of the initial ICU stay. All participants reported at least one outpatient visit (including visits to general practitioners), and 50% contacted four or more different medical specialties within the first year after discharge from ICU.ConclusionsFor most of the patients, the first year after ARDS is characterized by an extensive amount of healthcare utilization, especially with regard to stationary health care. These findings shed light on the substantial morbidity of patients after ARDS and contribute to a better understanding of the situation of patients following discharge from ICU.
Highlights
For many survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the process from discharge from intensive care unit (ICU) to recovery is long and difficult
In cases where caregivers/legal guardians consented to the participation in the study, patients had to confirm this preliminary consent after discharge from ICU
The vast majority had a moderate (46%) or severe form (43%) of ARDS
Summary
For many survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the process from discharge from intensive care unit (ICU) to recovery is long and difficult. Healthcare use after discharge from ICU has received only little attention by research. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe life-threatening condition which requires intensive care treatment and in the majority of patients mechanical ventilation. For some survivors of ARDS, the process to full recovery and return-to-work is long and difficult: Following discharge. Healthcare use represents a multilayered construct: It is a reflection of patients’ individual characteristics, such as health status and perceived need of treatment, and of characteristics of the healthcare system, e.g., the availability of and the access to specific services [8]. From a health services research perspective, healthcare use is a relevant outcome in itself
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