Quality of life, morbidity, and mortality after surgical intensive care: a follow-up study of patients treated for abdominal sepsis in the surgical intensive care unit.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term outcome of patients treated in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) for abdominal sepsis.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: University hospital, Sweden.

Subjects: 210 consecutive patients treated for abdominal sepsis in the SICU at Lund University Hospital during the period January 1983 to December 1995.

Main outcome measures: Background information, morbidity, and mortality. Follow-up of surviving patients with interview and completion of a quality of life (QoL) assessment. Information collected postmortem from the registers of the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.

Results: At follow-up, 45 patients of the 151 who survived the initial hospital stay had died, 41 were lost to follow up and 16 chose not to participate in the study; 49 patients completed the study. Median QoL scores were significantly impaired (p < 0.01) although subjective QoL did not change significantly. In-hospital mortality was 28% (59/210) and total mortality over the time period 50% (104/210).

Conclusion: Most patients who survived after treatment of abdominal sepsis in the SICU regained good health and their functional status was restored. Subjective QoL remained unchanged.