Predictors of Long-term Mortality and Health Related Quality of Life for Elderly Patients with Sepsis

Objective To explore the predictors of long-term mortality and healthy related quality of life (HR-QoL) for elderly patients with sepsis. Methods Two hundred and thirty-eight septic patients older than 60 years old admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) were enrolled in the study, and were followed up by telephone interview one year after ICU discharge. The hospital mortality and cumulative one-year mortality were analyzed, single and multiple factors analysis were used to for the risk factors of 1-year mortality. Quality of life (QoL) was evaluated by the Euro QoL-5 Dimensions (EQ5D) questionnaire, and the influential factors of long-term QoL were also analyzed. Results A total of 238 patients were enrolled, 58 patients of them(24.4%) died during hospitalization and one-year accumulative mortality was 59.7% (142 cases). Single factor analysis showed that acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE Ⅱ), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), fungal infection, sepsis, tracheal extubation and use of vasopressor within 24 h, the length of mechanical ventilation were correlated with one-year mortality. Multivariate regression analysis showed that APACHE Ⅱscore, CRRT and fungal infection were independent risk factors for one-year mortality， while tracheal extubation within 24 h and shorter length of ICU stay were related to better quality of life. Conclusion One-year mortality of elderly patients with sepsis was high. Tracheal extubation in 24 h and length of hospital stay were predictor of long-term QoL.