Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation in the intensive care unit: clinical, functional and quality of life at discharge and 3 months of follow up

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical/functional aspects and quality of life of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who were discharged after an intensive care unit admission for acute respiratory failure. METHODS: This prospective study included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who were admitted to two intensive care units between December of 2010 and August of 2011 and evaluated over three visits after discharge. Thirty patients were included, and 20 patients completed the three-month follow up. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in the following: forced expiratory flow in one second (L) (1.1/1.4/1.4; p = 0.019), six-minute walk test (m) (- /232.8 /272.6; p = 0.04), BODE score (7.5/5.0/3.8; p = 0.001), cognition measured by the Mini Mental State Examination (21/23.5/23.5; p = 0.008) and quality of life measured by the total Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire score (63.3/56.8/51, p = 0.02). The mean difference in the total score was 12.3 (between visits 1 and three). Important clinical differences were observed for the symptom score (18.8), activities score (5.2) and impact score (14.3). The majority of participants (80%) reported they would be willing to undergo a new intensive care unit admission. CONCLUSION: Despite the disease severity, there was a significant clinical, functional and quality of life improvement at the end of the third month. Most patients would be willing to undergo a new intensive care unit admission.