Impact of COVID-19 critical illness on functional status, fatigue symptoms, and health-related quality of life one-year after hospital discharge: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and severity of impairments in functional status, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among critical COVID-19 survivors one-year after hospital discharge. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA statement and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021258356), with searches in eight databases. Observational studies were selected. The prevalence meta-analysis of abnormalities was performed using random-effects models. Risk of bias was evaluated using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute tool. Results: Twenty studies were included, with data collected between 12 and 13.5 months after hospital discharge and a total of 1828 participants. Of these, 71% were men, and 77.7% were intubated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Impairments and sequelae were identified in varying prevalence and degrees, with greater impact on functional capacity and physical components of fatigue and HRQoL. The prevalence of abnormalities of 32.3% [95% CI 23.9; 41.9] found in the meta-analysis is substantially high. Most studies were classified as having fair and poor quality. Conclusion: Critical COVID-19 survivors experience impairments in functional status, fatigue, and HRQoL to varying degrees one-year after hospital discharge, particularly among patients who stayed in the ICU and on MV for a prolonged period. Critical COVID-19 survivors exhibit persistent impairments one-year post-discharge. Functional status, fatigue, and health-related quality of life are impaired to varying degrees in approximately one-third of patients. Long-term follow-up care for critical COVID-19 survivors should be prioritized.