Photo Credit: iStock.com/Tirachard

The following is a summary of “Contemporary assessment of short- and functional 90-days outcome in old intensive care patients suffering from COVID-19,” published in the April 2025 issue of Journal of Critical Care by Bruno et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to compare pre- and post-acute illness living conditions of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and non-survivors with COVID-19 in the post-vaccination era.  

They assessed 642 patients in ICU aged 70 years or older, capturing data from pre-illness status through 90-day functional follow-up. The primary outcome measured was the change in living conditions among ICU survivors from before admission to 90 days post-discharge whereas, secondary outcomes included 90-day mortality and QoL.  

The results showed that 642 patients from ICU were included; 39% died in the ICU, with 30-day and 90-day mortality rates of 47% and 55%, respectively. Before ICU admission, more survivors lived independently at home compared to non-survivors (P = 0.016), while a greater proportion of non-survivors lived in nursing homes (P = 0.016). At 90 days, only 22% of survivors retained their prior living conditions. Most surviving individuals viewed ICU care positively, whereas relatives expressed more uncertainty. The average self-reported QoL score at 90 days was 60 (interquartile range: 50–75).  

Investigators concluded that the living conditions of critically ill elderly patients with COVID-19 affected their outcomes, with only a small proportion returning to their original living situation after surviving intensive care. 

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883944124004714