Long-term mortality and quality of life after trauma: an ancillary study from the prospective multicenter trial FROG-ICU

Introduction: The long-term outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients are known to be worse than those of the general population, but they are poorly known in severe trauma patients. We conducted an ancillary examination of the FROG-ICU study to identify risk factors and biomarkers associated with the poorer long-term outcomes and mortality in trauma ICU patients.

Methods: Mortality, quality of life (QoL) and stress level scores were obtained 1 year after discharge from ICU. Blood samples were collected at ICU admission and discharge for measurement of inflammatory and cardiovascular biomarkers.

Results: ICU trauma patients had a significantly lower 1-year mortality than non-trauma patients (7% vs. 23%, p < 0.001), but had worse stress levels scores (19 vs. 13, p = 0.041). No difference was found regarding physical and mental QoL scores (33 vs. 31, p = 0.19 and 30 vs. 28, p = 0.42). Patients with better QoL scores had lower tracheotomy rates (11% vs. 30%, p = 0.01). Worse stress level scores are associated with poor QoL scores and vice versa. Some study biomarkers were significantly higher in those ICU trauma patients who had worse QoL scores at 1 year after discharge.

Discussion: Our study suggests that quality of life 1 year after an ICU stay is poor and is similar in both trauma and non-trauma patients, but ICU trauma patients are at greater risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder-related symptoms. Tracheotomy and high levels of inflammatory biomarkers could be associated with impaired quality of life.