Long-term survival, psychiatric, physiological, and functional outcomes of critically ill patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation: a systematic review

Purpose Invasive mechanical ventilation is utilized in over 50% of Australian Intensive Care Unit patients, with rates increasing world-wide. Prolonged mechanical ventilation is associated with increased length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality compared with patients ventilated under the time threshold. Previous studies have highlighted mortality rates, but much remains unknown regarding the long-term physiological, functional, and psychiatric effects of prolonged mechanical ventilation. With a greater understanding of these outcomes, models of care can be formulated to reduce long-term morbidity.